Italy: Rome’s summer sales start on July 2

Rome: Summer sales in Rome and the Lazio region begin officially on Saturday July 2 with discounted clothes, shoes and accessories on offer for the following six weeks.

Italy’s summer sales begin in practically all regions on 2 July, with the exception of Sicily where they start on July 1.

Consumer watchdog Codacons points out that shoppers should be aware of the regulations regarding sales and should check whether prices have actually been lowered.

Shoppers should be wary of shops advertising discounts of more than 50 per cent.

Codacons says that only shops at the very high end of the market could afford to offer such a discount, and that if consumers suspect a scam that they should contact Codacons or the police.

Shopkeepers are obliged to display both the full and discounted price of all items on sale, and they must accept the credit cards displayed on their windows as payment during sales.

Unless the item is damaged shopkeepers do not have to accept returns on sale items, nor are they obliged to allow customers to try on items.

Sales in Italy are governed by regional laws, with sales in Lazio beginning on the first Saturday in January and July every year.

Here is the calendar of Italy’s 2022 summer sales, with the start and end dates region by region:

Sicily: 1 July – 15 September

Abruzzo: 2 July (60 days)

Basilicata: 2 July – 2 September

Calabria: 2 July – 30 August

Campania: 2 July – 30 August

Emilia Romagna: 2 July – 31 August

Friuli Venezia Giulia: 2 July – 30 September (60 days not necessarily consecutive)

Lazio: 2 July (6 weeks)

Liguria: 2 July – 16 August (45 days)

Lombardia: 2 July – 30 August

Marche: 2 July (60 days)

Molise: 2 July – 31 August

Piedmont: 2 July (8 weeks)

Puglia: 2 July – 15 September

Sardinia: 2 July – 30 August

Tuscany: 2 July (60 days)

Umbria: 2 July (60 days)

Aosta Valley: 2 July – 30 September

Veneto: 2 July – 31 August

Trento and Province: businesses choose independently when to hold sales, for 60 days