EU Discount Rules: The 30-Day Lowest Price Explained
Running a sale for European customers is no longer just a matter of crossing out a high price and showing a lower one. Under EU rules, when you announce a price reduction you must show the lowest price you charged in the 30 days before it. This explainer covers what the rule means, how to apply it in an online store and the mistakes that cause trouble. It is general information, not legal advice.
Key takeaways
- When you announce a price reduction to EU consumers, the "before" price must be the lowest price you applied in at least the 30 days before the reduction.
- The rule comes from the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161, which amended the Price Indication Directive and applies from 28 May 2022.
- Raising a price shortly before a sale to make the discount look bigger does not work under this rule.
- You need a price history for every product and market, and your store must display the right reference price automatically.
For a long time, "was" prices in online shops were easy to inflate. A product could sit at a high price for a day, then be "reduced by 50%". Regulators saw this as misleading, and the EU responded with a specific rule for price reduction announcements. It applies to traders selling to consumers in the EU, including small online shops and sellers based outside the EU who target EU shoppers.
This article explains the rule in plain terms. Because it is implemented through each country's national law, the details and enforcement can differ, so always check the guidance in the countries you sell to.
What the rule says
The Omnibus Directive added a new requirement to the Price Indication Directive (98/6/EC). In short: any announcement of a price reduction must indicate the prior price that you applied before the reduction. The prior price is the lowest price you applied during a period of at least 30 days before you applied the reduction.
Three parts of that sentence matter:
- "Announcement of a price reduction." The rule is triggered when you communicate a reduction: a struck-through price, a percentage off, a "sale" label tied to a specific product price, and similar.
- "Prior price." This is the reference price you show or calculate the discount from.
- "Lowest price in at least 30 days." Not the usual price, not the list price, but the lowest price actually applied in that window.
Member states have some room to adapt the rule, for example for goods that spoil quickly or for discounts that increase step by step during one sales campaign. Check the national rules where you sell before relying on any of these variations.
How it works in practice
The easiest way to understand the rule is to walk through a price history.
Example
Imagine a jacket sold at €120 for most of the autumn. Ten days before Black Friday, you run a short promotion at €99, then return to €120. On Black Friday you announce "Now €90". For example, under the 30-day rule, the prior price you should use is €99, because that was the lowest price in the 30 days before the Black Friday reduction. So the announcement should present the discount against €99, not €120. These prices are made up to show the logic.
The example shows why the rule changes how you plan promotions. Short flash sales in the weeks before a big campaign lower the reference price you can show for that campaign.
What counts as an announcement
Typical announcements include:
- A struck-through "was" price next to a new price
- A percentage or amount off a specific product, such as "−30%" or "Save €20"
- Sale badges on product cards that imply a lower price than before
- Emails and ads promoting a specific product at a reduced price
General statements that do not compare prices, such as "great value", are usually treated differently. Comparisons with a competitor's price or with a recommended retail price can fall under other rules, including the rules on misleading practices. National guidance varies, so check how your target countries treat these cases.
Common mistake
Raising a product's price a week before a sale so the "was" price looks higher. Under the 30-day rule, the prior price is the lowest price in the period, so the temporary increase does not help, and the practice can also be treated as misleading.
Setting up your online store for the rule
For a small shop, the biggest challenge is not understanding the rule but applying it reliably across many products, markets and campaigns. The answer is usually a mix of data and settings.
- Start keeping price history. Record every price change per product and variant, per market or currency, with the date it started and ended. Without this, you cannot prove your prior price.
- Check what your platform can do. Many ecommerce platforms and apps can store price history and display the lowest 30-day price. Find out whether yours does, and how it handles variants and multiple markets.
- Separate "compare at" prices from prior prices. Some platforms let you type any "compare at" price manually. Make sure the value you show for EU consumers reflects the 30-day lowest price, not a list price.
- Plan your promotion calendar. Map flash sales, newsletter discounts and big campaigns so you know how earlier promotions affect later reference prices.
- Review every campaign before launch. Spot-check a sample of products: does the shown prior price match your history?
- Keep evidence. Store exports of your price history and campaign settings so you can answer questions from customers or authorities.
Pro tip
Ask your platform or app provider exactly how its "lowest price in 30 days" feature calculates the figure: whether it uses the price in each market or currency, whether it includes discounts applied in the cart, and how long it keeps history. Test it with a dummy product before you rely on it.
Tricky situations
Real shops rarely have neat price histories. Here are situations that often raise questions.
New products
If a product has been on sale for fewer than 30 days, there may not be a full 30-day history. National rules may address this differently, so check before announcing a discount on a newly launched item.
Several markets and currencies
If you sell in euros and in other currencies, or in different countries with different prices, keep price histories per market. The prior price should come from the history of the market where you make the announcement.
Discount codes and member prices
Personal codes, loyalty discounts and cart-level promotions are handled differently from price reductions announced to all shoppers in some countries. Because treatment varies, keep these promotions clearly documented and check national guidance before you present them as a product price reduction.
Marketplaces
If you sell through marketplaces such as Amazon, Zalando or bol, the marketplace's tools may display reference prices in their own way. Read the marketplace's seller guidance and make sure your own price changes support what is shown.
| Situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| Flash sale before a big campaign | The flash price may become the prior price for the campaign |
| Product launched recently | National rules on products with short price histories |
| Different prices per country | Use the price history of the market where you announce |
| Step-by-step campaign discounts | Whether the country allows the original prior price throughout |
| Goods that spoil quickly | Whether the country has a specific exception |
Other Omnibus rules to know
The same EU reform added other obligations that affect online shops. Even if you focus on discounts, check these at the same time.
- Reviews. If you show customer reviews, you must tell consumers whether and how you check that they come from people who actually used or bought the product. Fake reviews and paying for fake reviews are prohibited.
- Personalized pricing. If you personalize prices based on automated decision-making, you must tell consumers.
- Enforcement. The reform strengthened penalties for widespread breaches of consumer law. Exact amounts are set nationally.
UK sellers should note that the UK has its own consumer protection and pricing rules. If you sell to UK consumers, check GOV.UK for the current requirements on reference pricing and reviews.
Your discount compliance action plan
- Turn on or set up price history tracking for every product and market
- Check how your platform calculates and displays the 30-day lowest price
- Replace manual "compare at" prices that do not match your history
- Map flash sales and campaigns on one promotion calendar
- Spot-check prior prices before every sale goes live
- Review how you describe your review checks on product pages
- Check national guidance in your top markets for exceptions
- Keep exports of price history and campaign settings
Frequently asked questions
Does the 30-day rule apply to sellers outside the EU?
If you target and sell to consumers in the EU, the rules of the countries you sell to generally apply to your offers there, wherever you are based. Check national guidance in your main markets.
Can I still show my regular price?
When you announce a price reduction, the prior price must be the lowest price in at least the previous 30 days. If that equals your regular price, fine. If you ran an earlier promotion within the period, the promotion price becomes the reference.
Is a "sale" banner without prices an announcement?
It depends on how it is used and on national interpretation. A general banner may not compare prices, but product pages linked from it usually do. Treat any product-level price comparison as covered by the rule.
What happens if I get it wrong?
Consumer authorities can act against misleading price reductions, and penalties are set by national law. Competitors and consumer groups may also complain. Keeping clean price history is your best protection.
Related reading
The bottom line
The EU 30-day lowest price rule is simple in principle: when you advertise a discount, compare it with the lowest price you charged in the previous 30 days. The work lies in tracking price history, planning promotions so earlier sales do not undermine later ones, and making sure your store displays the right reference price.
The rule is applied through national law, and some countries have their own adaptations and guidance. Check the European Commission and Your Europe pages, the consumer authority in each country you sell to, or GOV.UK for UK sales, and ask a qualified adviser if a campaign falls into a gray area.
