Refunds, Returns and Exchanges Policy

The French Kitchen (operated by Artisan Gourmet Retail Pty Ltd)

Effective date: 8 November 2024 Last updated: 27 April 2026

This policy applies to purchases made in store at The French Kitchen Castle Hill and through our website at www.thefrenchkitchen.com.au.

Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). You are entitled to:

a replacement or refund for a major failure, and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage; and
to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

A major failure generally means the product is unsafe, significantly different from how it was described, fundamentally unfit for purpose, or could not have been reasonably foreseeable to a consumer at the time of purchase. Where the failure is major, you choose the remedy (refund, replacement, or keeping the product and receiving compensation). For minor failures, we may choose to repair, replace, or refund.

This policy operates in addition to your ACL rights and does not limit or replace them. Nothing in this policy excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, or remedy you have under the ACL.

1. Faulty, damaged, or unsafe products

If a product you purchased from us is faulty, damaged, unsafe, inedible, or otherwise not of acceptable quality, please contact us as soon as possible so we can put it right.

How to make a claim

Contact us using the details at the end of this policy, or return to the store.
Provide reasonable proof of purchase (see section 4).
For faulty food products, please contact us within a reasonable time of discovering the issue. Because food has a short useful life, we ask that you let us know promptly so we can investigate (for example, check the same batch, review handling records, and respond meaningfully). Where possible, please retain the product, its packaging, and any batch or use-by information.
For non-food products, please contact us within a reasonable period for the type of product, taking into account its expected useful life.

Assessment

We may need to assess the product to confirm the nature of the issue and the appropriate remedy. We will do this promptly and at no cost to you.

Remedy

If there is a major failure, you can choose between a refund, an exchange, or keeping the product and receiving compensation for the reduction in value.
If there is a minor failure, we will repair, replace, or refund the product. We will discuss the available options with you.

Refunds will be processed using your original payment method.

2. Change of mind

We are not required by law to offer refunds or exchanges for change of mind, and our approach varies by product type.

Non-food and unopened items

For non-food items, we are happy to offer a credit note or exchange (not a cash refund) for change of mind, provided that:

the item is returned within 7 days of purchase;
the item is unused, unopened, and in its original packaging in resaleable condition; and
you provide reasonable proof of purchase.

This includes items such as cookware, utensils, and gift items where they meet the conditions above.

Items we cannot accept for change of mind

For health, safety, and food safety reasons, we cannot offer refunds, credits, or exchanges for change of mind on:

any cake, confectionery, or food product, whether ambient, refrigerated, or frozen, once it has left our store;
dairy, meat, and other perishable goods, as well as certain dry goods regulated under food safety laws;
food vessels and serving items that have been unwrapped or used (including foil containers, cake boards, cake boxes, and wooden serving boards);
custom or made-to-order items (see section 3); and
gift cards and vouchers.

These exclusions apply to change of mind only. If any of these products are faulty, damaged, or otherwise not of acceptable quality, your rights under section 1 and the Australian Consumer Law are unaffected.

3. Custom orders, cakes, and catering

Custom cakes and catering orders are made to order based on your specifications.

Cancellations and refunds

If you cancel before production has commenced, we will refund any amount paid in full, or hold it as a credit toward a future order if you prefer.
Once production of a custom order has commenced, the order is non-refundable. This includes cakes that have been designed, decorated, or prepared to your specifications, and catering orders where ingredients have been purchased, prepared, or cooked.
If you need to reschedule, please contact us as early as possible. We will do our best to accommodate changes, but cannot guarantee availability for amended dates.

If something is wrong with your custom order

Custom and catering orders are still covered by the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law. If your order is not of acceptable quality, does not match the agreed description, or is otherwise faulty, please contact us as soon as possible (ideally on the day of collection or delivery) so we can investigate and provide an appropriate remedy under section 1.

4. Proof of purchase

To process a return, exchange, or refund, we ask for reasonable proof of purchase. This can be:

a printed or emailed receipt;
an order confirmation or tax invoice from our website;
a bank or credit card statement showing the transaction; or
another reasonable record that demonstrates the purchase was made from us.

Without reasonable proof of purchase, we may not be able to process a return or exchange. We will always do our best to help, and if we can verify the purchase another way (for example, through our point-of-sale or order records), we will.

5. Online orders

For products purchased through our website, the same rights and processes above apply. In addition:

Delivery issues

If your order arrives damaged, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery with photos of the product and packaging so we can investigate with our delivery partner and arrange a remedy. Contacting us promptly helps us preserve evidence and resolve the issue, but does not affect your underlying rights under the Australian Consumer Law if you discover a fault later.
If your order has not arrived by the expected delivery date, please contact us and we will follow up with the courier.

Returning online purchases

For change-of-mind returns of eligible non-food items purchased online, please contact us before returning the item so we can confirm eligibility and provide return instructions.
Return postage for change-of-mind returns is at your cost. For faulty or incorrectly supplied items, we will cover the cost of return.

6. How to contact us

If you have any questions about this policy or want to make a claim, please get in touch:

The French Kitchen Castle Hill Unit 1, 19 Victoria Ave, Castle Hill NSW 2154 (enter via Carrington Rd) Phone: 1300 835 888 Email: info@thefrenchkitchen.com.au

You can also speak with our Store Manager in person.

7. Further information

For more information about your rights as a consumer in Australia, visit:

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC): www.accc.gov.au
NSW Fair Trading: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

Artisan Gourmet Retail Pty Ltd trading as The French Kitchen Castle Hill