Shopping in Andorra

Retail shopping is available throughout Andorra. Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany have the largest concentration of shops and the 1.5-kilometre Shopping Mile. Pas de la Casa is a border-shopping location, Sant Julià de Lòria has shopping centres and cycling-related retail, Canillo, La Massana and Ordino have strong sports retail, and Santa Coloma is known for cars and motorbikes. Local terms include comerç for commerce, establiment comercial for a shop or commercial establishment, PVP for the retail price, rebaixes for sales, and consum responsable for responsible consumption. Typical purchases include food and gourmet or local products, perfumery and cosmetics, clothing and accessories, electronics, audiovisual equipment, toys and games. Unit prices are required for measured goods, including cosmetics, where the reference is generally 100 g or 100 ml. Bulk goods must be weighed after the container or packaging tare. Advertised prices are binding, discounts should appear on the ticket or invoice, and final prices include the applicable IGI. The general IGI rate is 4.5%, with special rates of 2.5%, 1% and 0%; banking and financial services have a 9.5% rate. Shops generally open until 20:00 from Sunday to Thursday and until 21:00 on Friday and Saturday, although individual hours differ. Listed annual closure dates include 1 January, 14 March, 8 September and 25 December. The euro is Andorra's official currency, and Andorran euro coins circulate alongside other euro cash. Card acceptance is decided by each merchant, while SEPA euro transfers and direct debits are available through the relevant payment providers. A seller offering distance purchases must disclose accepted payment methods and any charges or currency-conversion options. A shop does not generally have to exchange or refund a non-defective item bought in person unless it has advertised such a policy. Keep the ticket or invoice, advertising, labels and instructions. Durable goods generally have a two-year legal warranty for lack of conformity; the seller is responsible for repair or replacement, and a refund or price reduction may apply when those solutions are impossible or a minor defect remains. Complaints can begin with the seller and can then be submitted free of charge through the Govern d’Andorra, a tourist office or the Unitat de Comerç i Consum using the available complaint form. Online shopping is a legal distance-sale channel in Andorra. Before accepting an order, the seller should provide its identity and authorization details, the essential product features, the tax-included price, payment and delivery conditions, transport costs, offer validity, warranty information, the maximum delivery period and withdrawal terms. Delivery should normally occur within 30 calendar days unless another period was agreed. The standard withdrawal period is seven business days from receipt, without giving a reason or paying a penalty; it can extend to three months when required post-contract information was not supplied. The seller generally refunds within 30 calendar days after receiving the returned goods. Exceptions include personalised goods, rapidly deteriorating or expiring goods, used or damaged goods, unsealed recordings or software, periodicals and goods whose price follows market fluctuations. Unsolicited paid goods do not create a payment obligation or require a return. When goods leave Andorra for the European Union, customs allowances matter because Andorra is outside the EU and the Schengen Area. For adults, the allowance for industrial goods is up to EUR 900 and for other agricultural goods up to EUR 300; the corresponding limits for people under 15 are EUR 450 and EUR 150. Separate limits apply to coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, perfume and cologne, including up to 75 g of perfume and 375 ml of cologne, and these allowances cannot be combined freely between travellers or between agricultural and industrial categories. Alcohol and tobacco allowances do not apply to people under 17. The exact destination and customs category determine which rule applies. Responsible shopping in Andorra can include buying with less packaging, choosing bulk products, repairing, renting or borrowing goods, donating usable items, reducing food waste and checking expiry dates. Selective collection and authorised management pathways cover materials such as paper and cardboard, packaging, glass, residual waste and used mineral oils through the Govern, the comuns and related programmes such as Andorra Sostenible. Retailer participation, product availability, delivery fees, card coverage and take-back arrangements differ by provider, so the shop or service operator should confirm those details before purchase.