What are the rules for running a sale in a UK shop?
A sale is one of the simplest ways for an independent shop to clear seasonal stock, bring back customers who wait for a bargain and raise cash before new stock arrives. It is also where most pricing complaints happen: a “was” price that never existed, a sign that says “up to 70% off” when only two items are, or a “no refunds on sale items” notice that ignores the law on faulty goods.
This guide sums up what the official guidance says and turns it into practical steps for a small shop. It is not legal advice: your local trading standards service can answer specific questions.
When can you run a sale?
Whenever you choose. There are no legal sale periods in the UK, no minimum or maximum length, and no rule on how long stock must have been in the shop before you discount it. Most independent shops still follow the familiar rhythm:
| Moment | What shops usually do |
|---|---|
| Boxing Day and January | Clear winter stock, gift items and seasonal décor |
| Late June to August | Clear spring and summer collections |
| Black Friday and Small Business Saturday | Short promotions, often on selected lines |
| Stock-taking or refit | One-off clearance before closing for a few days |
The freedom on dates comes with one constraint: a sale that never ends is not really a sale. If a “reduced” price runs for months, the original price stops being a fair comparison, and the promotion can become misleading.
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Was prices and reference prices: the 28-day guide
A price comparison (“was £60, now £40”, “30% off”, a crossed-out price) tells the customer how good the deal is. It must therefore be true. The Pricing Practices Guide published on GOV.UK gives the benchmark most trading standards officers use: the price you compare against should have been your most recent price, available for 28 consecutive days or more. More recent guidance on discount pricing linked to the CMA points towards at least 30 days as the safer period.
Worked example
Take a wool jumper sold at £60 from 1 October. You start your winter sale on 27 December.
| Scenario | Can you show “was £60”? |
|---|---|
| Sold at £60 every day from 1 October to 26 December | Yes: it was your most recent price, for well over 28 days |
| At £60, but reduced to £50 for a weekend on 14-15 December | Risky: the most recent price before the sale was not a continuous £60 for 28 days; compare against £50, or explain the comparison clearly |
| Only received on 10 December at £60 | Not on its own: it has not been at £60 for 28 days; say “introductory price” or simply show the sale price |
| Supplier’s “RRP £80”, never charged in your shop | Only if labelled clearly as RRP and the RRP is genuine; never present it as your own former price |
Second reductions
If the jumper goes from £60 to £45, then to £30 in the second week of January, keep the original comparison honest: “was £60, now £30” is fine if £60 was the genuine earlier price. Do not invent an intermediate “was £75”.
Keep evidence
- A dated photo of the shelf label before the sale
- A till report showing the price charged in the previous weeks
- A dated screenshot of the product page if you sell online
- Your price list for the season
Sale signs and labels: what must be shown
The Price Marking Order 2004 applies to goods sold to consumers in shops and online. Its guidance on GOV.UK says the selling price must be the final price including VAT, and must be unambiguous, easily identifiable, clearly legible and close to the product, without the customer having to ask. During a sale this means:
- Every sale item shows its sale price, either on the item or on a sign right next to it.
- A general notice (“20% off everything on this rail”) instead of relabelling each item is accepted only where individual repricing is not reasonably practicable. When you use one, make it impossible to misread: which rail, which items, which reduction.
- “Up to” claims (“up to 70% off”) should be backed by a fair share of the stock at that maximum reduction, not one or two items.
- Keep sale and full-price stock apart: a separate rail, a different label colour, a sign saying “New season, not in the sale”.
WINTER SALE starts Saturday 27 December, 9am
Up to 50% off selected knitwear, coats and accessories. Sale items have a red label.
New season stock is not included.
[Shop name] · [address] · open [hours]
Our winter sale starts on Saturday at 9am! Up to 50% off selected [knitwear, shoes, homeware] from this season. The best pieces go fast, so come early. New season stock is not included.
Refunds and returns on sale items
A sale does not change a customer’s statutory rights. Here is how the usual questions at the till work out:
| Situation | What you have to do |
|---|---|
| Customer changed their mind (in-store purchase) | No legal obligation to refund or exchange; any returns policy is your choice |
| Item is faulty | Same rights as at full price: repair, replacement or refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 |
| Bought online or by phone | The customer normally has a 14-day cancellation period, sale or not |
So a sign saying “No refunds on sale items” is misleading if it suggests customers lose their rights on faulty goods. A fair wording:
Sale items cannot be exchanged or refunded if you change your mind. This does not affect your statutory rights. Please try before you buy: our fitting rooms are open.
Many independent shops choose to keep their normal exchange policy during the sale. It reassures hesitant buyers and brings them back into the shop, where they often buy something else.
What happens if a sale price is misleading?
Pricing is enforced on two fronts, according to the Price Marking Order guidance on GOV.UK:
- Criminal enforcement by trading standards: breaching the Price Marking Order is an offence under the Prices Act 1974, with an unlimited fine.
- Civil enforcement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024: courts can impose fines of up to £300,000 or 10% of the trader’s global turnover, whichever is higher, and the CMA can enforce consumer law directly.
In practice, a small shop usually hears first from trading standards after a customer complaint, with advice to put things right. The best protection is simple: honest comparisons, clear labels, and evidence of your earlier prices.
The mistakes that most often cause complaints:
- A “was” price that was only charged for a few days, or never
- An “up to 70% off” banner when almost everything is at 10% off
- A sale that never ends, with the same “reduced” price all year
- New stock mixed in with sale stock on the same rail without a clear sign
- “No refunds” notices that ignore faulty goods
If you also sell in France: how French “soldes” differ
Many UK shops sell online to customers in France, and some owners run a shop there. French sales follow much stricter rules, described by the official French business portal:
| Rule in France | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fixed dates | Winter sales start on the second Wednesday of January at 8am (first Wednesday if the second falls after the 12th); summer sales on the last Wednesday of June (second-to-last if the last falls after the 28th); 4 weeks each |
| Stock | Only goods offered for sale for at least one month before the sale; no restocking during the sale |
| Reference price | The lowest price charged to all customers in the 30 days before the reduction |
| The word “soldes” | Banned outside the official periods |
If you sell to France from a French site or shop, follow these rules. The French version of this guide explains them in detail.
Before, during, after: a sale checklist for your shop
A month before
- Choose the lines you will reduce and check how long they have been at full price
- Photograph labels and export till prices as evidence
- Decide your reductions (for example 30% then 50%) and print labels
- Plan a clearly signed area for new, full-price stock
The week before
- Announce the start date on your Google Business Profile, Instagram, Facebook and in the window
- Email customers who agreed to hear from you
- Put your returns policy near the till, with the statutory rights wording
During the sale
- Keep comparisons honest on second reductions
- Check that “up to” banners still match what is left
- Use the busy days to ask happy customers for a Google review
After
- Take down sale signs and online banners when the sale ends
- Write down what sold, at what reduction: it will guide your buying next season
A sale brings in people who have never been to your shop. A QR code at the till and one simple sentence when you hand over the receipt are enough to turn some of them into reviews. Our guide to Google reviews for a retail shop explains how.
The steps at a glance
The steps to plan a sale with honest prices, clear signs and the right returns wording.
- Choose the lines. Pick the items to reduce and check they have been at their full price for at least 28 days in a row.
- Keep evidence. Photograph labels and export till prices before the sale starts.
- Label clearly. Show the sale price including VAT on or next to each item, and keep full-price stock apart.
- Write fair signs. Make “up to” claims match the stock and mention statutory rights in any returns notice.
- Announce it. Share the start date in the window, on your Google profile and on social media.
- Close properly. Remove sale signs when it ends and note what sold for next season.
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Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 28, 2026.