There's nothing in the EU guarantee free returns. All shops are allowed to get you to pay for the returns shipping fees yourself, and for the wear and tear on the product if it's been opened and used.
Amazon is currently one of the few exceptions that pays for the returns fees and reimburses 100% no questions asked, but most other smaller shops don't do that.
>> Big stores in Germany yes, but in Austria no, shipping it back is on your dime as per EU law to most but the biggest shops.
">Consumer protection law in the EU/UK has got this covered for those citizens."
"free" returns are coming to an end"
EU law only says the store must accept your return within 14 days, but you as the consumer are liable of the cost of your return such as shipping and loss of value of the item due to wear and tear or opening the seal.
There is no EU law mandating "free" returns for you, even if some of the big stores like Amazon or Zalando have been doing it as a courtesy to the customers, that doesn't mean it was the law, and as the title says, that can come to an end if the stores desire, and there's no law to stop them as you claim.
Clear now?
To the best of my knowledge EU consumer protection laws only state that you must be allowed to return the product for a full refund of the product (not shipping). It says nothing about who should pay for return shipping, that is up to the company.
On a practical level, many companies do offer free returns, as most people would avoid companies that don't if given a choice.
They seem to handle it in the UK correctly based on the return reason.
Defective/faulty/not as described - free return.
Changed your mind - pay for a return, or return to a collection point for free.
Consumers abusing the system -> consumer pays.
There could be unforeseen consequences for this regardless: 1. The amount of dodgy sellers slinging garbage on amazon has only been growing, and the only reason I (and probably other people) risk it is because you can just send things back if they turn out to be terrible. 2. People might start damaging your goods deliberately in order to return them if they feel that your returns policy isn't fair.