Q: I bought a swimsuit and after a few days I went back to the shop to exchange it with another model. The swimsuit had all its tags attached, as well as the plastic hygiene liner. However, when I told the sales assistant I wanted to exchange it, she replied that swimsuits cannot be exchanged, this being a national policy. Is this true? What are my legal rights?

A: Legally, unless there is something wrong with the product purchased, such as it is defective or damaged, consumers cannot demand to exchange an unwanted item because they made a wrong buying decision.

In such situations, it is up to the seller to decide what kind of exchange policies to implement. If, however, the seller decides not to exchange an item, they are not breaking any law, unless during the sale there was a specific agreement about the possibility to exchange unwanted items.

There is no policy that says that swimwear cannot be changed. Sellers determine their own exchange policies.

However, swimwear and under­wear are usually not exchanged due to hygienic reasons.

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