Retailers who implement tougher return policies this peak trading season risk missing out on sales, according to data released by supply-chain tech company, Blue Yonder.

Data in its 2025 Global Consumer Retail Returns Survey, which polled more than 6,000 consumers across six regions including the UK, showed that 84% of respondents said they would stop shopping with brands if they implemented stricter returns policies.

Two-thirds (66%) of global consumers said they have chosen not to purchase due to tougher return requirements.

“These findings highlight the negative consumer attitudes toward tighter returns policies, with a majority of consumers continuing to make decisions on where to shop based on these policies,” commented Tim Robinson, Senior Vice President, Commerce and Returns, at Blue Yonder.

The research found that returns policies shape where shoppers choose to purchase, with 33% of respondents saying they avoid online-only retailers with stricter rules, while 30% said they avoid multi-channel retailers who take a tougher line on returns.

As retailers deploy a range of tactics to mitigate returns, from charging processing fees to banning serial returners, the data shows more than a third (36%) of consumers had a return denied in the past year, with missed return windows (31%), items marked as non-returnable (26%), and consumers’ own return history (20%) being the most common reasons.

“Across generations and regions, consumers are consistent in believing that returns restrictions are unfair and inconvenient for them, underscoring their expectation for an easy and hassle-free process. With 9.5 billion pounds of returns ending up in landfills, it’s more important than ever that retailers develop customer-friendly processes, while more efficiently managing returns across omnichannel environments to reduce costs and unnecessary waste,” commented Robinson.

Many consumers were found to be concerned about the environmental impact of returns, with 65% “somewhat” or “very” concerned about this. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of global respondents said they would not complete the returns process if they knew the product could end up in a landfill. 

The solution, Robinson says, relies on retailers offering a more convenient and sustainable returns journey for consumers.:“ By leveraging AI-driven solutions, retailers can better track returns data and trends, allowing them to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to automated decisioning that implements the ideal returns journey for each return based on value. This enables retailers to achieve the perfect balance between cost, customer experience, and sustainability.”