Guides
Black Friday prices in the EU: the 30-day prior price rule
Since 28 May 2022, Article 6a of Directive 98/6/EC, added by the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161, requires every announced price reduction to show the prior price.
Key points
- The prior price is the lowest price the trader applied during a period of at least 30 days before the price reduction.
- A discount in per cent or a promotional claim must be calculated from this prior price (Court of Justice, case C-330/23 Aldi Süd, 26 September 2024).
- EU countries may set different rules for perishable goods, for products on sale for less than 30 days and for progressive reductions.
- Falsely claiming that an offer is available only for a very limited time is a misleading practice under Directive 2005/29/EC (Annex I, point 7).
- The Commission guidance 2021/C 526/02 explains Article 6a with examples.
Official sources
- Directive 98/6/EC (prices) (checked 29.10.2026)
- Commission guidance on Art. 6a (checked 29.10.2026)
- Directive 2005/29/EC (unfair practices) (checked 29.10.2026)
- (EU) 2019/2161 (checked 01.11.2026)
- C-330/23 (Aldi Süd) (checked 02.11.2026)
Last updated: 2 November 2026
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