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Rebajas: when the sales start in Spain and your rights
When the January and summer sales start in Spain, how discounts must be shown, and your rights on returns and warranties.
Updated: October 2026
Spain’s sales – las rebajas – are a national event. Shops are packed on the first day, discounts grow week by week, and many people plan big purchases around them. Here is when the sales happen, how they work and what your rights are.
When are the sales in Spain?
Since 2012, shops in Spain have been free to decide when and for how long they hold sales. In practice, most still follow the traditional calendar:
- Winter sales: start around 7 January, the day after Three Kings (Reyes), and run into February or early March. Some chains start online on 6 January or even earlier.
- Summer sales: start around 1 July and run through August.
- Black Friday (the last Friday of November) and Cyber Monday have become big too, often stretched over a whole week.
- Mid-season sales (mid-season or “segundas rebajas”) with extra discounts come towards the end of each sales period.
Your rights when you buy on sale
- Real discounts: when a shop shows a price reduction, the “before” price must be the lowest price it charged in the previous 30 days. This rule comes from EU law and stops fake discounts.
- Same warranty: sale items have the same three-year legal guarantee as full-price items. A shop cannot refuse to deal with a faulty item because it was on sale.
- Returns: in a physical shop, returning an item you simply do not want is a goodwill policy, and shops may have different rules during sales – ask before paying. Online purchases always have 14 days to withdraw.
- Card payments: a shop that normally accepts cards must also accept them during sales.
- Keep the receipt (ticket or factura) – you need it for returns and warranty claims.
If something goes wrong, you can complain with an official complaint form (hoja de reclamaciones), which every shop must have. See also our guide to your rights when buying electronics.
Tips for the rebajas
- Make a list before you go – the first days are crowded and it is easy to overspend.
- Check prices a few weeks before so you can spot real bargains.
- Shop online from the evening before: many retailers open their sales online first. Online shops such as Spartoo (ad) and adidas (ad) run their own sales on shoes, fashion and sportswear.
- Look at the final weeks for the deepest discounts, if you do not mind smaller choice of sizes.
Not sure what to buy for the season? Read what to wear in Spain, season by season.
FAQ: sales in Spain
When do the January sales start in Spain?
Traditionally on 7 January, right after Three Kings. Shops are free to start earlier, and many begin online a day before.
Can I return sale items?
Faulty items, always. For items you just do not want, it depends on the shop’s policy – ask before you pay. Online purchases have a 14-day withdrawal right.
Are sale prices really lower?
They should be: the reference price shown must be the lowest price of the last 30 days.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Shop policies vary. Links marked “(ad)” are affiliate links – NewInSpain may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
