Refund policy

Last updated: 16 August 2026

This website is operated by Newbee Meadery Limited trading as Newbee Meadery. Throughout this Refund and Returns Policy, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Newbee Meadery Limited trading as Newbee Meadery.

This Refund and Returns Policy explains when an order may be cancelled, returned, replaced or refunded, including where a product is faulty, damaged, incorrect or not delivered.

Our online store is hosted by Shopify, which provides the e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.

Nothing in this Refund and Returns Policy limits or excludes any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, the Fair Trading Act 1986 or other applicable New Zealand law.

1. Consumer guarantees

Products supplied by Newbee Meadery must:

  • be of acceptable quality;

  • be safe and free from defects that a reasonable consumer would not expect;

  • be fit for their normal purpose;

  • be fit for any particular purpose that you made known to us and reasonably relied on us to meet;

  • match their description;

  • correspond with any sample or representation provided;

  • arrive in acceptable condition; and

  • be delivered within an agreed or otherwise reasonable timeframe.

If a product does not meet an applicable consumer guarantee, you may be entitled to a remedy under New Zealand law.

2. Change-of-mind purchases

Please choose carefully. We do not offer refunds, returns, exchanges or store credit where you:

  • simply change your mind;

  • accidentally order the wrong product or quantity;

  • decide that you no longer want the product;

  • do not like the taste of a product where it is otherwise of acceptable quality and matches its description;

  • find the same or a similar product available elsewhere for a lower price; or

  • purchase a product for someone who does not want it.

We may agree to cancel or change an order before dispatch at our discretion, but we are not required to provide a remedy for a change of mind.

This section does not affect your rights where a product is faulty, unsafe, damaged, incorrectly supplied, materially different from its description or otherwise fails to comply with the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

3. Faulty, unsafe or incorrectly described products

Please contact us if you believe a product:

  • is faulty or unsafe;

  • is contaminated or otherwise unsuitable for consumption;

  • has a damaged or defective seal;

  • does not match its description;

  • is materially different from the product ordered;

  • is not fit for its normal purpose; or

  • does not meet another applicable consumer guarantee.

Do not consume a product if you reasonably believe it may be unsafe or contaminated.

We may ask you to retain the product and packaging while we assess the issue. We may also request photographs, batch information or other relevant details.

You do not need to have the original packaging to exercise rights that apply under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, although retaining the packaging may help us investigate the problem.

4. Damaged deliveries

If an order arrives damaged, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible at:

info@newbee.co.nz

Please provide, where reasonably available:

  • your name and order number;

  • a description of the damage;

  • photographs of the product and packaging;

  • details of any missing or leaking contents; and

  • any relevant delivery information.

Please retain the damaged product and packaging until we advise whether they are required for inspection or return.

Where we arranged delivery, we are responsible for addressing damage occurring during delivery in accordance with applicable New Zealand law.

5. Incorrect orders

If we send you the wrong product or quantity, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible.

We will arrange an appropriate remedy, which may include:

  • supplying the correct product;

  • supplying a missing product;

  • arranging collection or return of the incorrect product; or

  • providing a refund where appropriate.

Newbee Meadery will cover reasonable return or collection costs where we supplied an incorrect product.

6. Missing or undelivered orders

If your order does not arrive within the agreed delivery timeframe, or within a reasonable timeframe where no timeframe was agreed, please contact us so we can investigate.

Where we arranged the delivery, you should contact Newbee Meadery rather than attempting to resolve the matter solely with the courier.

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, we may:

  • locate and complete delivery of the order;

  • send a replacement;

  • provide a refund; or

  • offer another appropriate remedy agreed with you.

7. Available remedies

The remedy available depends on the nature and seriousness of the problem and your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

For a problem that can be remedied and is not substantial, Newbee Meadery may choose to:

  • correct the problem;

  • replace the affected product; or

  • provide a refund.

The remedy must be provided within a reasonable time and without charge to you.

Because our products are consumable beverages, repair will not usually be a practical remedy. A replacement or refund will ordinarily be considered where a genuine product fault is established.

Where a failure is substantial, cannot be remedied within a reasonable time or gives you a right to reject the product, you may be entitled to:

  • reject the affected product and choose a refund or replacement; or

  • retain the product and claim compensation for the reduction in value.

A substantial failure can include a product that is unsafe, significantly unfit for purpose, substantially different from its description, or that a reasonable consumer would not have purchased if they had known about the problem.

Where you are legally entitled to a refund, you do not have to accept store credit instead.

8. How to request a return or remedy

To request a return, replacement or refund, contact:

info@newbee.co.nz

Please include:

  • your name;

  • your order number;

  • the product affected;

  • a description of the problem;

  • when you first noticed the problem; and

  • photographs or other supporting information where reasonably available.

Please do not return a product without contacting us first. We will provide return or disposal instructions where necessary.

Requesting information or inspecting a product does not remove or reduce any rights you have under New Zealand law.

9. Return costs

If a product is confirmed to be faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied or otherwise non-compliant with an applicable consumer guarantee, we will reimburse reasonable return-delivery costs.

If returning the product would be particularly difficult or expensive, we will arrange collection at our expense where required by law.

If an assessment reasonably establishes that the product is not faulty and that no consumer guarantee has been breached, you may be responsible for return costs that you agreed to incur.

10. Failed or refused alcohol deliveries

A failure to complete an alcohol delivery does not necessarily mean that the product is faulty or that Newbee Meadery has breached a consumer guarantee.

Delivery may be refused where:

  • nobody aged 18 years or over is available to receive the order;

  • suitable evidence of age is not produced when requested;

  • the receiver appears to be under 18;

  • the receiver appears intoxicated;

  • incorrect or incomplete delivery details were provided;

  • the delivery address cannot be accessed; or

  • completing delivery would breach applicable law or our off-licence.

Where delivery fails for a reason within the customer’s control, reasonable delivery, redelivery, return or handling costs may be deducted from any refund to the extent permitted by law.

Where delivery fails because of an issue within our reasonable control, we will provide an appropriate remedy in accordance with this policy and applicable New Zealand law.

11. Cancelling an order

If you want to cancel or change an order, contact us as soon as possible at:

info@newbee.co.nz

We will try to accommodate requests received before dispatch, but we cannot guarantee that an order can be changed or cancelled after processing has begun or the order has been collected for delivery.

If we cancel an order because:

  • a product is unavailable;

  • payment was not authorised;

  • product or pricing information was materially incorrect;

  • required age verification was not completed;

  • we reasonably suspect fraud, proxy purchasing or unlawful supply;

  • completing the order would breach applicable law or our off-licence; or

  • completing the order would be inconsistent with responsible alcohol supply,

we will provide any refund required by law. Reasonable delivery or return costs already incurred may be deducted where appropriate and lawfully permitted.

12. Sale and discounted products

Products purchased on sale, with a promotional code or at a discounted price have the same rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 as products purchased at their usual price.

We do not accept change-of-mind returns for sale or discounted products.

Any refund will be based on the amount actually paid for the affected product, together with any other amount required by law.

13. Refund payments

Where a refund is approved, it will ordinarily be issued using the original payment method.

We will process an approved refund as promptly as reasonably possible. The time required for the refund to appear in your account may depend on Shopify, your payment provider and your bank.

Where only part of an order is affected, a refund may be limited to the affected product and any associated amount required by law.

Any original or return delivery charges will be refunded where required by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or other applicable law.

14. When a remedy may not be available

We are not required to provide a remedy where:

  • you simply changed your mind;

  • you ordered the wrong product or quantity;

  • you damaged, misused, improperly stored or altered the product after delivery;

  • the problem resulted from failing to follow reasonable storage or use instructions;

  • you knew about the relevant fault before purchasing the product;

  • the product met its description and the issue is solely a matter of personal preference; or

  • you take an unreasonable amount of time to reject a product after becoming aware of a fault.

This section does not apply where New Zealand law requires us to provide a remedy.

15. Changes to this Refund and Returns Policy

We may update this Refund and Returns Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our products, business practices or legal obligations.

The updated version will be posted on this website with a revised “Last updated” date.

16. Contact and business information

Questions about a return, refund or this policy should be sent to:

Newbee Meadery Limited trading as Newbee Meadery
NZBN: 9429050900527
Company number: 8495286
Website: www.newbee.co.nz
Email: info@newbee.co.nz
Country of operation: New Zealand

When contacting us about an existing order, please include your name and order number so we can assist you promptly.