Example: how much does Niamh actually save?
Fictitious example: Niamh in Dublin wants a robot vacuum. On Black Friday a shop shows ‘−30%, now €349, was €499’, with a countdown above the price. The small print says: ‘Lowest price in the last 30 days: €379’.
Niamh does the maths: compared with €379 she saves €30, about 8 per cent rather than 30. A comparison site shows that the model cost roughly the same in early autumn. She adds it to her list and decides in the evening, away from the countdown.
Tip: Always work out the saving yourself from the 30-day lowest price.
What must a discount show under EU rules?
Directive (EU) 2019/2161 added Article 6a to the EU Price Indication Directive: any announced price reduction must state the lowest price the trader applied in a period of at least 30 days before it. EU countries had to apply it from 28 May 2022; Germany and France did so on that date, Italy only from 2 April 2023.
On 26 September 2024 the Court of Justice of the EU ruled in case C-330/23 that a percentage discount must also be calculated from this 30-day lowest price. This stops traders raising a price just before a sale to advertise a bigger cut. EU countries may set different rules for:
- perishable goods and goods with a short shelf life;
- products on the market for less than 30 days, with a shorter period;
- gradually increasing reductions, where the price before the first cut may remain the reference.
How do you check a deal in three steps?
- Find the 30-day price: look for the lowest price of the last 30 days next to the sale price and calculate the saving from it. If an EU shop gives a percentage without it, take a closer look.
- Check the price history: enter the exact model number on a price comparison site. Many show a history well beyond 30 days, revealing whether the price is genuinely low or just the usual one.
- Compare the final total: what counts is the amount including delivery and fees. Our guide The price rises in the basket shows how to check it.
A dated screenshot records what was on offer.
What did Europe’s 2025 check of Black Friday deals find?
Between November and December 2025, authorities in 25 countries and the European Commission screened 314 online traders. 94 per cent advertised discounts. At least 30 per cent broke the EU rules on price reductions, and only 40 per cent fully complied. Also:
- 34 per cent used price comparisons, and six in ten of those did not clearly explain the reference price.
- 18 per cent used scarcity claims or countdown timers; over half of these appeared misleading.
- 10 per cent revealed mandatory costs only late in the purchase process.
A countdown does not change the price, and you cannot verify a stock figure. If you feel rushed, close the tab and come back later.
How do you recognise a fake deal site?
Sales periods also attract fake shops. Switzerland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) lists these warning signs:
- the web address alters a brand name, for example with ‘-switzerland’ or ‘-suisse’;
- the ‘About us’ page lacks a findable address, company ID, email or phone number;
- there are few or no reviews, or only extreme ones;
- the domain was registered very recently;
- you arrived via a search engine or website advert.
Austria’s Watchlist Internet adds one more: at checkout only advance payment or Bitcoin remains, although many payment options were advertised. Our guide Shop from a social media ad explains how to check a seller.
Which rules apply in each country, and who can help?
| Country | Rule on discount claims | Help and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | § 11 PAngV: lowest price of the last 30 days, since 28 May 2022 | Verbraucherzentrale advice centres; Fakeshop-Finder |
| Austria | § 9a PrAG: lowest price of the last 30 days in the same sales channel, since 20 July 2022 | Watchlist Internet: warning lists, report form |
| Switzerland | Art. 16 PBV: own earlier price as comparison for at most half the time it applied, two months maximum; since 1 January 2025 unlimited if it applied for 30 consecutive days | Breaches: cantonal enforcement office; fake shops: NCSC |
| France | Lowest price of the last 30 days, since 28 May 2022 | SignalConso; RéponseConso 0809 540 550 |
| Italy | Art. 17-bis Codice del consumo, in force since 2 April 2023 | AGCM; Commissariato di P.S. online |
| Spain | Art. 20 Ley de Ordenación del Comercio Minorista: lowest price of the previous 30 days, since 28 May 2022 | INCIBE helpline 017; CEC Spain |
Switzerland is not bound by EU law, so the price history matters even more for Swiss shops.
What if the bargain turns out not to be one?
For distance purchases within the European Economic Area you can usually withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason; return costs may be yours if the seller said so beforehand. See The withdrawal button in online shops. In Switzerland this right does not apply automatically, so read the return terms first.
If you paid a fake shop, contact your bank or card provider at once; bank transfers are rarely recovered. Next steps: Money sent to a scammer. For your own case, a consumer advice service in your country can help.
Common mistakes
- Calculating the saving from the crossed-out price or the RRP instead of the 30-day lowest price.
- Buying because of a countdown without checking the price history.
- Opening deals from adverts or message links without checking the shop.
- Paying an unknown shop in advance by bank transfer because the price looks exceptional.
- Expecting Swiss shops to show the same 30-day price as EU shops.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday falls on Friday 27 November 2026 and Cyber Monday on Monday 30 November. That does not change your check: the benchmark is still the lowest price in the 30 days before each reduction. Note the prices of the items you want from October onwards.
Does every shop have to show the lowest price of the last 30 days?
In the EU, yes, whenever it announces a price reduction, for example with a crossed-out price or a percentage. There are exceptions, for example personal vouchers in Germany. If a shop simply shows a low price without claiming a reduction, the rule does not apply. Switzerland has its own rules on comparison prices.
Can a shop compare its price with the RRP?
This is not settled everywhere. German consumer advisers report that courts have judged advertising with the RRP as a reference differently, and that a final ruling by the Federal Court of Justice was still pending in May 2026. Either way, the RRP is a recommendation, not a price the shop has charged, so it says little about what the product really costs.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/2161 as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rulesSource review date:
- Court of Justice of the EU: press release 152/24, case C-330/23 Aldi SüdSource review date:
- European Commission: Sweeps, including the 2025 sweep on pricesSource review date:
- CCPC Ireland: 1 in 3 traders incorrectly display discounts online during Black Friday salesSource review date:
- National Cyber Security Centre NCSC (Switzerland): Week 31, Identifying fraudulent webshops early onSource review date:
- Swiss Federal Council: amendment of 30 October 2024 to the Preisbekanntgabeverordnung (PBV) (PDF, German)Source review date:
- Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen: Schnäppchenjagd zu Singles Day, Black Friday und Cyber Monday (German)Source review date:
- Watchlist Internet (Austria): So schützen Sie sich vor Fake-Shops (German)Source review date:
