Refund policy
# Refund & Returns Policy
**Thriving International** — operated by Thriving Global Wellness (Pty) Ltd
Last updated: 13 August 2026
Because our products are ingestible health supplements and food products, this policy is stricter than a standard retail returns policy. This is a legal and safety requirement, not a matter of preference: once a supplement leaves our control we cannot verify how it has been stored, handled or whether it has been tampered with, and we cannot lawfully resell it. Please read this policy in full before ordering. By placing an order you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted the terms below.
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit or exclude any rights you have under the mandatory consumer-protection laws that apply to you. Where such laws give you rights that cannot be waived, those rights continue to apply and take precedence over anything stated here (see **Your statutory rights** below).
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## 1. Change-of-mind returns (7 days, sealed items only)
You have **7 days from the date you receive your order** to request a return of an item you have changed your mind about.
To be eligible, the item must be:
- **Unopened, unused and completely sealed**, with all manufacturer and tamper-evident seals fully intact;
- in its **original, undamaged packaging** with all labels attached; and
- accompanied by your **order number, receipt or other proof of purchase**.
Any item that has been opened, unsealed, used, marked, or whose tamper seal is broken or missing **cannot be returned for change of mind** for the health and hygiene reasons set out in Section 3. This applies even if only the outer seal is broken and the product itself appears unused.
Returns are not automatic. You must **request and receive authorisation from us first** (see Section 6). Items sent back without prior authorisation will not be accepted, will not be refunded, and will be returned to you at your cost or disposed of.
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## 2. Items that cannot be returned or refunded
For safety, hygiene and legal reasons, the following are **final sale** and cannot be returned or refunded except where they arrive damaged, defective or incorrect (Section 4), or where a non-waivable statutory right applies:
- Any product that has been **opened, unsealed or used**, or whose tamper/safety seal is broken;
- **Powders, drink mixes, food products and other perishable or consumable goods** once dispatched (e.g. smoothie mixes, superfood blends, espresso blends);
- **Personal-care items** (e.g. balms and topical products);
- **Sale, clearance, promotional, bundle or discounted items**, and **free gifts or samples**;
- **Gift cards and vouchers**;
- Items returned **more than 7 days** after delivery;
- Items **without proof of purchase**;
- Any product that is **regulated, age-restricted or restricted for import/export** in your country. It is your responsibility to confirm that a product may be lawfully imported and possessed where you live before ordering. Duties, taxes, seizures or losses arising from restricted or prohibited items are not our responsibility and are not refundable.
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## 3. Health, safety and hygiene
Our supplements and food products are consumed by the body. Once a seal is broken we cannot confirm the product's storage temperature, exposure, handling or integrity, and we cannot guarantee it is safe for another customer. For this reason **we cannot accept the return of, or refund, any opened, unsealed or used product**, and we cannot resell returned stock. This restriction protects every customer and is applied consistently and without exception, other than the mandatory statutory rights described in Section 13.
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## 4. Damaged, defective or incorrect items
Please **inspect your order as soon as it arrives.** If an item is faulty, damaged in transit, has passed or is at its expiry/best-before date on arrival, or is not what you ordered, contact us at **info@thriving.international within 48 hours of delivery** with:
- your order number;
- a clear description of the problem; and
- **photographs** of the item, the batch/expiry label, and the packaging (including any damage to the outer box).
We will assess each case on its merits. Where we confirm a genuine defect, damage or error on our part, we will — at our discretion and as the law requires — replace the item, resend the correct item, or refund it, and we will cover any associated return postage. Please keep the item and all packaging until your claim is resolved; do not discard or use it, as we may need it returned for inspection. Claims made after 48 hours may not be accepted where the delay prevents us from assessing the cause, except where a longer period is guaranteed by law.
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## 5. Results, tolerance and individual reactions
Please choose carefully. Our products are **supplements and foods, not medicines.** They are **not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition**, and we make no guarantee of any particular result, benefit, timeframe or outcome. Individual responses to supplements vary.
Accordingly, and to the extent permitted by law, we **do not offer refunds, returns or exchanges on the basis that**:
- the product did not produce the effect, benefit or result you hoped for;
- you did not like the taste, texture, smell or appearance;
- you changed your mind after opening; or
- you ordered the wrong product or quantity in error.
**Allergies and sensitivities:** full ingredient lists are shown on every product and on our website. It is your responsibility to check ingredients before purchasing and consuming, and to consult a qualified healthcare professional if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or have a medical condition or known allergy. An allergic reaction, sensitivity or intolerance is not a product defect and does not qualify for a refund, except where required by law. **If you experience an adverse reaction, stop using the product immediately and seek medical advice.** We would also appreciate you reporting it to us so we can review the relevant batch.
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## 6. How to request a return
1. Email **info@thriving.international** with your **order number** and the reason for your return **before sending anything back.**
2. Wait for us to confirm whether your return is approved. If approved, we will issue a **Return Authorisation** and provide the **return address and instructions.**
3. Send the item only after you have received authorisation.
Our return address is provided **on approval only** and will be confirmed in your Return Authorisation email. Please do not send items to any address shown on the delivery parcel.
**Items sent back to us without a Return Authorisation will not be accepted or refunded.**
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## 7. Return shipping and risk
For approved **change-of-mind** returns:
- **You are responsible for the cost of return shipping**, which is non-refundable.
- We strongly recommend a **tracked and insured** service. **The item remains your responsibility, and at your risk, until we physically receive it.** We are not liable for returns that are lost, delayed or damaged in transit to us, and no refund can be issued for items we do not receive.
- Original **shipping, handling and any duties or taxes are non-refundable.**
Where a return is due to our error or a confirmed defect (Section 4), we will cover reasonable return postage.
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## 8. Refunds
Once we receive and inspect your returned item, we will notify you whether your refund has been **approved or rejected.** A return may be rejected, or a refund reduced, if the item arrives opened, unsealed, used, damaged, incomplete, or not in its original saleable condition.
If approved, your refund will be issued to your **original payment method.** Please allow up to **10 business days** from approval for the refund to be processed, and note that your bank or card provider may take additional time to post it to your account. If more than **15 business days** have passed since we confirmed your refund was approved and you have not received it, contact us at **info@thriving.international**.
We reserve the right to deduct from any refund an amount reflecting loss of value where returned goods have been handled beyond what is necessary to establish their nature and characteristics, to the extent permitted by law.
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## 9. Exchanges
We do not operate a direct exchange service. If you want a different product, the fastest and most reliable option is to **request a return of your eligible item** (subject to this policy) and place a **separate new order** for the item you want.
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## 10. Cancellations and cooling-off periods
If your order has **not yet been dispatched**, contact us immediately at **info@thriving.international** and we will cancel it and refund you in full where possible. Once an order has been dispatched it is subject to this policy.
**Customers in the EU/UK and other regions with a statutory cooling-off period:** where the law grants you a right to cancel within a set period (for example 14 days), that right applies. However, for health-protection and hygiene reasons the law also **excludes sealed goods that are not suitable for return once unsealed** from this right. Accordingly, once the seal on a supplement or food product has been broken, the statutory cooling-off right no longer applies to that item. Sealed, unopened items may still be returned within the applicable period in accordance with this policy.
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## 11. Refused, undelivered and unclaimed orders
If a parcel is **refused, unclaimed or returned to us as undeliverable** because of an incorrect or incomplete address you provided, a failure to collect it, or a refusal to pay applicable duties or taxes, the **original and return shipping costs are non-refundable.** Any refund for the goods themselves will be issued only if they are received back sealed and in saleable condition, and may be reduced by the shipping and handling costs we incurred.
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## 12. Chargebacks and abuse
If you believe there is a problem with your order, **please contact us first** — we will always try to resolve it fairly. Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute without first contacting us, or in respect of goods correctly delivered, may be treated as a breach of these terms. We reserve the right to contest illegitimate chargebacks with evidence of delivery and of your acceptance of this policy.
We reserve the right to **refuse, limit or cancel returns, refunds or orders** where we reasonably suspect fraud, abuse of this policy, resale, or a pattern of excessive returns, to the extent permitted by law.
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## 13. Your statutory rights
This policy operates **in addition to**, and does not exclude, restrict or modify, any consumer guarantees, warranties or rights you have under the mandatory laws that apply to you and that cannot lawfully be waived — including rights relating to goods that are faulty, unsafe, not as described, or not of acceptable quality. Where anything in this policy conflicts with such a right, the law prevails to the extent of the conflict. Nothing in this policy affects those rights.
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## 14. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The version in effect at the time you place your order applies to that order. The current version is always available on our website.
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## 15. Contact us
For any question about returns or refunds, contact us at **info@thriving.international** and include your order number. We aim to respond within a few business days.
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*This document is a store policy, not legal advice. Because Thriving International sells into multiple countries, we recommend having it reviewed by a qualified lawyer in each of your key markets (and against the terms of your payment providers) before publishing.*