Summer sales season
Nearly 40,000 shops in all parts of Catalonia will be holding sales from now to 31 August.
The sales season begins on 1 July and ends on 31 August. Shops can open on Sunday 3 July, one of the eight holidays on which they are authorised to open by the Ministry of Enterprise and Labour in 2011.
As is normal, a preliminary campaign has been conducted to inform shops that the sales are optional and that, if they hold them, they must comply with the legal limits for their duration and the conditions established in current legislation. Visits to shops during June have revealed greater knowledge of the regulations governing sales on the part of shopkeepers and greater awareness of the need to comply with them, in all parts of Catalonia.
The Catalan Consumer Agency makes the following recommendations to shoppers regarding sales:
Make a list of products in which you are interested, according to your budget.
Compare prices. The reduced price should always be shown beside the original price, both in the shop window and inside the shop.
Examine the product. It should be of the same quality and carry the same guarantee as the product sold at the original price and must not be faulty in any way.
Be careful to distinguish between sales during the sales season and other cases when goods are sold at reduced prices, such as closing down sales, sales of remnants and special offers. Goods in the sale should be clearly distinguished from any which are not.
Check whether payment by credit card is normally accepted. If so, it should also be accepted during the sales.
Read labels carefully, together with instructions for use and the description of the product.
Always ask for a receipt or invoice, as this is your guarantee. It is also advisable to keep catalogues and leaflets with details of the product. If any faults are found in the product, go to the shop from which it was purchased, taking the receipt or invoice.
Ask whether the product can be exchanged and what conditions apply to exchanges. The shop is under no obligation to exchange a product which is not faulty, unless this option is advertised.
Remember that all shops are required to have official complaint forms for the use of customers.
012, Consumer affairs helpline
