TOAST is a British lifestyle brand known for its quiet, considered clothing, homeware, and accessories, and for a customer base that tends to stick around for years.
But like any retailer, not every order works out, and knowing exactly how the Toast returns process works can save you time, money, and a fair amount of frustration.
This guide breaks down the official Toast return policy from toa.st, step by step, and pairs it with what real customers have said about their own return experiences on review platforms.
Whether you are returning a full-price jacket or a sale item that did not fit, here is everything you need to know before you send anything back.
Toast Returns Policy at a Glance
- Full price items bought online can be returned within 28 days of receiving them
- Sale items bought online can be returned within 14 days of receiving them
- UK returns are free through the paperless returns portal
- Toast no longer offers a direct exchange service online
- Items must be unused, unworn, and still have their swing tags attached
- Refunds go back to the original payment method, typically within 10 working days of the return reaching the warehouse
- Pierced jewellery, selected wellbeing items, and gift cards cannot be returned unless faulty
Return Windows: How Long Do You Have?
Toast splits its return window depending on whether an item was bought at full price or in a sale.
Full price items ordered online can be sent back for a refund within 28 days of the date you received them. That is a longer window than many high street competitors, which typically cap returns at 14 to 30 days. Thisnk of Lexy London at this point.
Sale items ordered online have a shorter window of 14 days from the date of receipt. This is a common practice across UK retail and is worth double checking before you buy anything discounted, since the clock starts as soon as the parcel arrives, not when you get around to opening it.
The same 28 day and 14 day windows apply if you bought online and want to return the item to a physical TOAST shop in the UK.
If you bought an item directly in a TOAST shop, the rules shift slightly. Full price in-store purchases can be returned within 28 days for a refund or an exchange, while sale items bought in-store are only eligible for an exchange or a gift card within 14 days, not a cash refund.
What Cannot Be Returned
A handful of product categories are excluded from the standard returns policy for hygiene and practical reasons:
- Pierced jewellery, such as earrings, cannot be returned unless faulty
- Selected wellbeing items, including things like essential oil blends and tea infusions, are non-returnable unless faulty. The product page will flag this at the point of purchase
- TOAST Gift Cards and eGift Cards are non-refundable
None of these exclusions affect your statutory rights if an item turns out to be genuinely faulty.
How to Start a Toast Return
Toast has moved to a fully paperless returns system, which is a change worth knowing about if you have shopped with them before and are used to finding a returns label tucked inside the parcel. That label is no longer included.
Here is the current process for UK online orders:
- Go to returns.toa.st and enter your order number along with your postcode or the email address used for the order. The order number is on your confirmation emails.
- Select the items you want to return and choose a reason for the return.
- Pick how you want to send the parcel back. You can drop it at a local InPost locker, take it to a Post Office, or in many cases arrange a Royal Mail Parcel Collect pickup from home.
- You will receive a returns confirmation email containing a QR code.
- Repackage your items, take the parcel to the chosen drop off point (or wait for collection), and have the QR code ready on your phone for scanning. If you are returning several items from one order, they should all go back in a single parcel.
For InPost returns, scanning your QR code at the locker screen opens a compartment for your parcel, and a label is applied by the courier once it is collected.
For Post Office returns, a prepaid label is printed and attached for you on the spot, and you will get a tracking receipt. If you use Parcel Collect, the courier brings a prepaid label to your door at the time of collection.
If you would rather print a label at home, you can follow the same first four steps and choose Royal Mail as your method, then print the prepaid label from page two of the returns confirmation email before dropping the parcel at a Post Office.
If none of the paperless options work for you, Toast customer service can print a label and post it to you directly. Their number is 0333 400 5200.
Exchanges: What Actually Happens Now
One detail that catches out long-time customers is that Toast no longer runs a straightforward online exchange service. If you need a different size, you cannot simply request a swap through the returns portal.
Instead, you need to call customer services, who will arrange for the new item to be sent out with no extra delivery charge.
You pay for the new item up front and then return the original for a refund under the standard policy. Replacement items depend on stock availability, so this only works smoothly if the size or colour you need is actually in stock.
Refund Timing
Once your return reaches the Toast warehouse, allow up to 10 working days for it to be processed, and that window can stretch during busy periods like the post-Christmas sale.
Refunds are issued to the original payment method, and once a refund has been issued, banks typically take up to 5 more working days to show it on your statement.
Toast asks customers to hold onto their tracking number, since it is the main reference point for chasing up a return that seems to be taking longer than expected.
Returning to a TOAST Shop
If you would rather skip the post entirely, you can bring an online order into a UK TOAST shop along with your order number, and staff will process the refund in person.
The same 28 day and 14 day windows apply, and items still need to be unused with tags attached.
One important limitation: items cannot be returned to a shop if they were purchased from a different retailer stocking TOAST products. It is also not possible to use the online returns portal for something bought in a physical shop, and UK in-store purchases can only be returned within the UK.
Cancelling an Order Entirely
Separate from the standard returns policy, UK and EU customers have a legal right to cancel an order within 14 days of receiving it, without needing to give a reason.
To do this, you notify Toast in writing, either by emailing contact@toa.st or by phone. A cancelled order is refunded in full, including the standard delivery charge, though faster delivery upgrades are non-refundable. You are responsible for the cost of sending the order back unless it originally qualified for free returns.
Large Homeware Items
For homeware pieces weighing more than 5kg, Toast can arrange a collection from most UK addresses instead of asking you to post it back. This needs to be booked directly with customer service on the same 0333 400 5200 number.
Returning Toast Orders From the US
Customers outside the UK should note that the process is different. On the US site, returns are not free by default. You still start through the online portal, but instead of the InPost or Post Office options, you drop the parcel at a UPS location in the US or a DHL Service Point elsewhere, and you pay a returns charge that varies by country before printing your label and customs form.
Several US-based reviewers have flagged this paid return fee, along with mixed experiences using DHL for pickups, as a real source of frustration compared with the free UK service.
What Customers Are Actually Saying
Toast has a large base of long-term, loyal shoppers, and that comes through clearly in reviews on Trustpilot and Reviews.io.
A lot of feedback praises the brand for durable clothing, helpful shop staff, and customer service teams that resolve problems quickly once contacted directly.
Several reviewers describe decades-long relationships with the brand and note that pieces bought years ago are still in regular rotation.
That said, the shift to a paperless, no-label-in-the-box returns system has clearly tripped up some shoppers.
A number of reviews describe confusion after throwing away packaging over the holidays, only to discover there was never a physical label to begin with, since return slips are generated entirely online.
Others have reported delays with Royal Mail extending the time it takes for a return to even reach the warehouse, on top of the standard processing window, which can make the whole experience feel slower than expected.
Recurring themes in negative reviews include:
- Confusion around the paperless process, particularly among customers used to a label being included in the parcel
- Frustration when items arrive creased or in what customers feel is inadequate packaging for the price point
- Complaints that customer service responses can feel slow or unhelpful when a return goes wrong, though other reviewers describe the opposite experience
- Sizing inconsistencies following a 2023 update to Toast’s size guide, which has led to some returns that customers feel were avoidable
- International customers, especially in the US and Canada, noting that returns are not free and that DHL pickups do not always go smoothly
On the positive side, many reviewers highlight fast refund processing once a return is received, responsive phone and live chat support, and staff who go out of their way to resolve issues such as incorrect sizing or delivery mix-ups.
The overall picture is a brand with strong product loyalty and generally solid customer service, but a returns process that has become less forgiving for anyone who is not comfortable managing everything through an online portal.
Tips for a Smooth Toast Return
- Start your return at returns.toa.st as soon as you know you want to send something back. Do not wait, since sale items only have a 14 day window.
- Keep your order confirmation email until you are sure you are keeping everything, since you will need the order number to generate a return.
- Photograph items before you send them back if you are returning something you believe was faulty or arrived damaged, in case there is any dispute later.
- Keep swing tags attached and items unworn. Toast can refuse a refund on anything it considers not resalable.
- Hold onto your tracking receipt or QR code confirmation until the refund actually appears in your account.
- If you need a different size rather than a refund, call customer service directly rather than trying to arrange it through the online portal, since exchanges are handled manually.
- If you are ordering from outside the UK, factor the return shipping charge into your decision, since it is not free the way UK returns are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Toast offer free returns? Yes, for UK orders. Returns from outside the UK are not free and carry a country-specific charge.
How long do I have to return a Toast order? 28 days for full price items, 14 days for sale items, both counted from the date you received the order.
Is there a returns label in my parcel? No. Toast has moved to a paperless system, so you generate your return slip and QR code online through returns.toa.st.
Can I exchange an item for a different size? Not directly online. You need to call customer service, who will send a replacement and take payment for it, while you return the original for a refund.
How long does a refund take? Up to 10 working days to process once your return reaches the warehouse, plus up to 5 working days for the refund to show on your bank statement.
Can I return an online order in a TOAST shop? Yes, UK shops will process refunds for online orders within the same 28 and 14 day windows, as long as you bring your order number.
What if my item is faulty? Faulty items are not subject to the same exclusions as pierced jewellery or wellbeing products, and your statutory rights still apply regardless of the standard returns policy.
Final Thoughts
The Toast returns policy is fairly standard for a UK fashion and homeware brand, with a generous 28-day window on full-price items and free UK returns being clear strengths.
Where it asks a little more of customers is the fully paperless process, which works well once you understand it but has clearly caused friction for shoppers expecting a label in the box.
If you keep your order number handy, start the process early, and use the official portal rather than guessing, returning a Toast order is generally straightforward, and the brand’s customer service reputation among long-term shoppers suggests most problems do get resolved once someone actually picks up the phone or replies to an email.