Terms and conditions for a coffee subscription business

A coffee subscription sells freshness on a schedule, with beans that rotate and a renewal the customer may have forgotten setting up. The terms have to make the renewal and the cancellation obvious, describe rotating selections accurately, deal with roast dates and delivery, handle gifts and returns, and change prices when green coffee prices change. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Coffee roasters and coffee subscription businesses in England and Wales sending beans and ground coffee to consumers on recurring orders and one-off purchases through their own website, including gift subscriptions.

What matters in coffee subscription terms

Renewals, intervals and cancellation

The terms should state the interval, the renewal and billing date, the price, the cut-off for changes, and how to cancel or pause in the account, because the Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats a renewal the customer was not clearly told about as unfair and further rules for subscription contracts are being introduced under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Cancellation takes effect for the next unbilled delivery; deliveries already billed and roasted are despatched.

Rotating selections and descriptions

Where the subscription rotates origins or roasters, the terms should say that each delivery contains coffee of the type and quantity described, that specific origins, farms and tasting notes shown are examples, and that a coffee may be substituted with one of similar profile and value where a lot runs out. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 goods must match their description, and the description should be of the subscription, not a particular bag.

Roast dates, freshness and storage

Coffee is roasted to order and despatched on a schedule, and the terms should say that roast dates are shown on the bag, that despatch may be timed to arrive fresh, that delivery times are estimates, and that storage after delivery is the customer's responsibility. Coffee is not a perishable in the sense of rapid deterioration, so the fourteen-day cancellation right applies to an unopened bag; opened bags cannot be returned unless faulty.

Gifts, delivery and returns

Gift subscriptions should say who the contract is with, that they end after the stated deliveries without renewing unless the recipient subscribes, and how the recipient's address and data are handled. Goods are at the business's risk until received, and a lost parcel is resupplied. A customer who cancels an order within fourteen days of receipt under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 returns the unopened bag at their cost if the terms said so, and is refunded within fourteen days under regulation 34.

Prices, payment and data

Green coffee prices move, and the terms should allow subscription price changes on notice before the next renewal with the customer free to cancel first. Prices shown include all mandatory charges under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, card payments carry no surcharge under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, and failed payments lead to a retry and suspension. The privacy notice governs account data and marketing consent.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

A customer opened the bag, did not like the coffee and wants a refund. Must we?

Not where the coffee was as described and not faulty. An opened bag cannot be returned under the cancellation right, and taste is not a fault. A goodwill credit is your choice, not the terms' requirement.

Can we change the subscription price when our costs rise?

With notice before the next renewal and the customer able to cancel before it takes effect, which the terms should provide. A change without notice is the kind of term treated as unfair.

A gift subscription ended and the recipient wants it to carry on. What happens?

The terms should say that gift subscriptions end after the stated deliveries and that the recipient may start their own subscription. Do not renew on the giver's card unless the giver agreed to a renewing gift.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a subscription box business
• Terms and conditions for a wine club

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.