Sales seasons (rebajas), Black Friday and judging a real discount

Key rules

• Sale dates: No national dates are fixed, so each shop decides when its rebajas start and end.
• Prior price: A advertised reduction must show the lowest price charged in the previous 30 days.
• Guarantee: Sale goods keep the full legal guarantee: 3 years for new goods, at least 1 year for second-hand goods from a trader.
• Online purchases: You have a 14-day withdrawal right without giving a reason.

When the sales happen

Each shop chooses its own sale dates and length. There is no fixed national calendar. In practice:

• Winter rebajas start around 7 January, after Reyes, and run into February.
• Summer rebajas start around 1 July and run through August.
• Big chains and department stores usually start on those two dates. Some now start earlier or run pre-sales.

Check the exact start with the shop. Dates for the 2026-27 season are set by each retailer.

Black Friday and other deal events

Black Friday is on 27 November 2026, followed by Cyber Monday. Many shops run offers for the whole week, or from early November. Some also use Singles' Day on 11 November.

Amazon Prime Day is usually in July, with a second event in October. Amazon announces dates only a few weeks ahead.

The timeline below shows the full year in order.

How to spot a real discount

Any advertised price cut must show the prior price. That is the lowest price the shop charged for the product in the previous 30 days. A "was" price that is higher than that is misleading.

• If a product has been on sale for under 30 days, the period is shorter.
• If the price drops in steps, the prior price is the one before the first cut.
• The rule covers shops and online sellers.

To check, note the price a few weeks before an event. If a price looks wrong, report it to your region's consumer authority, which enforces the rule.

Your rights on sale items

Faulty goods. Sale items carry the same legal guarantee as full-price ones: 3 years for new goods and at least 1 year for second-hand goods from a trader. A faulty item must be repaired, replaced or refunded, whatever the discount.

Changing your mind in a shop. The law gives no right to return non-faulty goods bought in a physical shop. Returns depend on the shop's own policy. Shops must state if their policy for sale items differs, for example "no exchanges". Ask before you pay, and keep the receipt.

Changing your mind online. Online and distance purchases have a 14-day withdrawal right without giving a reason. It applies to sale items too.

Quick habits

• Compare the "was" price with what you saw earlier.
• Ask about the return policy on sale items before paying.
• Keep receipts for the guarantee.

Timeline and deadlines

• Check pre-sale offers and Singles' Day deals: From early November, with Singles' Day on 11 November

• Check the prior price on any advertised discount: Before you buy: the prior price is the lowest price applied in the previous 30 days

• Shop the summer rebajas: From around 1 July, running through August

• Withdraw from an online sale purchase if you change your mind: Within the 14-day withdrawal period

Spanish shopping year: sales seasons and Sunday trading calendar

The year at a glance

Sale dates are free: each shop chooses when to run a sale and for how long. The windows below are the usual pattern, not fixed dates. Shops decide their exact 2026-27 start dates themselves.

Buying big items: when to wait

• Electronics and appliances: Black Friday week is the main target. Winter rebajas are the second chance.
• Clothes, shoes and home items: wait for the winter or summer rebajas. Some chains start early or run pre-sales for members.
• Anything you need now: do not wait for a sale. Buying out of season is often worth the extra cost if you need the item this month.

Sunday and holiday opening

Each region decides how many Sundays and holidays large shops may open in a year, so the number depends on where you live. Many regions allow roughly 8 to 10 days a year. A few, such as Madrid, Valencia and Murcia, allow free opening or many more days. The permitted days usually include the Sundays before Christmas, the start of the January sales and some other busy weekends.

Tourist areas follow different rules. In a zone designated as a high-tourism area, shops set their own hours and can open on Sundays and holidays freely. Madrid, Cataluña, Valencia, the Balearics, the Canary Islands and the Andalusian coast and big cities all have large designated areas, including city centres and resort towns. The lists change, so ask your regional government's commerce department which Sundays are allowed and which areas count.

Small shops are not bound by the large-shop limits, so a neighbourhood shop may open when a department store cannot. Supermarkets and malls are usually the ones closed on a Sunday.

Public holidays

The dates of national, regional and local holidays are in the public holiday calendar in the holidays and leisure section of this guide.

Check this year's Sunday and holiday opening days and tourist-zone lists with your regional government's commerce department.

Frequently asked questions

Does a shop have to start its rebajas on a fixed date?

No, each retailer chooses when its sales start and how long they last, because the dates are not set by law. Winter sales usually begin around 7 January, after Reyes, and summer sales around 1 July. Big chains often follow those dates, but some start earlier with pre-sales.

When is Black Friday in Spain this year?

Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026, followed by Cyber Monday. Many Spanish shops start offers from early November or run them for the whole week. Singles' Day on 11 November is also used by some shops.

Can I return something I bought on sale if it is not faulty?

In a physical shop, only if the shop's own policy allows it, and shops must state if sale items are treated differently, for example with no exchanges.

Is a sale item covered by the legal guarantee?

Yes, goods bought on sale have the same guarantee as full-price goods: 3 years for new goods and at least 1 year for second-hand goods from a trader. Keep your receipt so you can show when you bought it.