Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, 37 days after this article is published, and Cyber Monday is 30 November. This is the first Black Friday at which the regulator has already fined retailers for fake deals: on 14 October 2026 the Competition and Markets Authority fined Wayfair £4.8 million and Appliances Direct £1.2 million over countdown offers that were not really time-limited. Fake urgency has been banned outright since 2008; fake reviews joined the banned list on 6 April 2025, when the CMA also gained the power to fine up to 10 per cent of global turnover without going to court. None of that checks a price for you. Six weekly screenshots will.
Below: what the law now bans, how to check whether a “was” price was ever real, your refund rights online and in store, how to pay so you can get your money back, buy now pay later, the cashback trap, and how to check a shop exists.
The dates, and why they matter less than you think
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 the Thursdays fall on 5, 12, 19 and 26 November, so Thanksgiving is Thursday 26 November, Black Friday is Friday 27 November and Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November.
Free download
The UK Savings Pot Tracker spreadsheet
Track every pot, rate and goal in one place. Enter your email and it is yours instantly, plus an occasional email when a money change affects you. Unsubscribe any time.
The day itself is mostly a label; sales run for weeks either side. Argos’s 2025 Black Friday Price Guarantee covered badged products bought from 31 October to 2 December 2025 and paid any later price drop up to midnight on 25 December as an e-gift card, not cash. Its 2026 terms were not published when we checked on 19 October.
What the law now bans outright
The consumer protection parts of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (the DMCC Act) came into force on 6 April 2025 under the Act’s second commencement regulations. They apply UK-wide. Two things matter here: a list of practices illegal in all circumstances, largely carried over from the 2008 regulations it replaced but with new fake-review bans, and the CMA’s power to decide cases and fine firms itself.
Schedule 20 of the Act sets out 32 paragraphs of commercial practices that are unfair in all circumstances. The ones a sale shopper will meet are these:
- Fake urgency. Paragraph 7 bans falsely stating that a product will only be available for a limited time, in order to elicit an immediate decision.
- Fake reviews. Paragraph 13 bans submitting or commissioning a fake consumer review, or one that hides the fact it was incentivised, publishing reviews misleadingly, or failing to take reasonable steps to remove fake ones.
- Bait pricing. Paragraph 5 bans inviting you to buy at a stated price without disclosing that the trader has no reasonable grounds to expect it can supply the product at that price.
- “Free” that isn’t. Paragraph 23 bans describing something as free when you must pay more than the unavoidable cost of responding and delivery.
Drip pricing — adding mandatory fees late in checkout — is caught a different way. Section 230 of the Act treats an invitation to purchase as omitting material information if it leaves out the total price, and subsection (4) says the total price includes any fees, taxes or charges you will necessarily incur.
The CMA has started fining
Before April 2025 the CMA had to go to court. Now it can decide a case itself and “fine them up to 10% of their global turnover”, with £300,000 as the cap instead where that is higher. The first fine came on 15 April 2026, when the AA Driving School and BSM were fined £4.2 million for leaving a mandatory £3 booking fee out of the upfront price, after a 40 per cent settlement discount, and ordered to refund over £760,000 to more than 80,000 customers.
Last week came the case closest to Black Friday. On 14 October 2026 the CMA fined three businesses a total of £6 million. Wayfair sold products as “Daily Deals” and 24-hour “Flash Deals” with countdown timers and slogans such as “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”, and the CMA found that “many products remained available at the same price or lower after the stated deadline.” Appliances Direct ran pop-up countdown banners for £10 to £25 discounts whose codes appeared repeatedly over many days, and opted customers into paid extras automatically. Gold’s Gym was fined £45,000 for leaving its joining fee out of the total price shown.
The CMA’s 18-month review, published on 14 October 2026, reports 20 investigations opened in total and, since April 2026 alone, fines of over £11.8 million and redress of over £2.3 million. Fake-review investigations into Autotrader, Feefo, Dignity, Just Eat and Pasta Evangelists continue, with no conclusions reached. The review also says: “Discounts must be genuine and businesses must show the total price clearly”, and that it is watching for misleading discounts.
“Was” prices: the least settled part
A misleading reference price is still unlawful as a misleading action if it gives a false impression of a price advantage. But how long a higher price must have been charged before a retailer can call it the “was” price is not fixed in the Act. The CMA’s long-running case against Emma Sleep shows how contested this is. Emma admitted misleading countdown timers and false “high demand” messages in a court-confirmed settlement on 22 May 2026, but the “was/now” question went to trial, and on 30 July 2026 the High Court “did not make further findings of infringement”.
The law polices the worst reference prices, but a strikethrough figure is not proof of a saving.
How to check a price yourself
Nothing beats your own record. Price-tracking sites can be useful leads, but we do not treat their histories as fact.
- Write a shortlist of things you actually need, with the exact model number, colour and size.
- Check the price once a week from now. Wednesdays from 21 October to 25 November give you six readings before Black Friday. Screenshot the page with the date visible.
- Use the retailer’s own price history where it shows one, and read any small print beside a “was” price.
- Compare the total, not the headline. Mandatory fees must now be in the first price; optional postage and extras are not.
- Ignore the clock. A false timer is the retailer breaking the law, not a reason to hurry.
If the Black Friday price matches what you saw in October, it is not a deal, whatever the banner says. If it is lower than every reading you took, it probably is.
Write the shortlist now, not on the night.
Six weekly price checks between now and 27 November tell you more about a “deal” than any banner, countdown or “was” price will.
Explore GetSmartSaver →Your rights when you buy
Online and in-store purchases carry different rights. The table sets them out.
| Situation | Your right | Time limit | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bought online or by phone, changed your mind | Cancel for a refund, no reason needed | Tell the seller within 14 days after the day of delivery; send it back within 14 days of telling them; refund within 14 days of the seller getting it back or your proof of posting | Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regs 30, 34 and 35 |
| Bought in a shop, changed your mind | None in law — only the shop’s own returns policy | Whatever the shop offers | Retailer goodwill |
| Online seller never told you about the right to cancel | Cancellation period extended | Up to 12 months extra | Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, reg 31 |
| Faulty, online or in store, first 30 days | Reject it for a full refund | 30 days from the day after delivery (shorter for perishables) | Consumer Rights Act 2015, s22 |
| Faulty within six months of delivery | Repair or replacement, then price reduction or refund if that fails; fault presumed present at delivery | Six months from delivery | Consumer Rights Act 2015, ss19 and 23–24 |
| Faulty after six months | Same remedies, but you may have to show the fault was there at delivery | Up to 6 years (5 in Scotland) | Consumer Rights Act 2015; limitation rules |
| Extended warranty on an electrical item, bought with it | Cancel for a full refund | 45 days, if the warranty lasts at least 12 months | Citizens Advice guidance |
| Extended “Christmas returns” | Whatever the retailer promises | Set by the retailer each year | Retailer goodwill |
Online: 14 days to change your mind
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the cancellation period for goods bought online or by phone ends 14 days after the day they come into your physical possession. You do not need a reason, and sale items are not excluded. Once you cancel you have 14 days to send the goods back, and the seller must refund you within 14 days of getting them back or of you supplying evidence that you sent them, whichever is first. You normally pay return postage, and the seller need only refund the cheapest standard delivery it offered. Personalised and perishable goods are excluded; sealed hygiene items, recordings and software lose the right once unsealed.
In store: no legal right to change your mind
If you buy in a shop and simply change your mind, the law gives you nothing. Extended Christmas returns are a commercial promise, not a right. Argos, for example, let items bought from 26 September to 25 December 2025 be returned up to 31 January 2026 under its extended Christmas returns policy.
Faulty goods: the same everywhere
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can reject faulty goods for a full refund within 30 days, a period that section 22 runs from the day after ownership has passed and the goods have been delivered. After 30 days you are entitled to a repair or replacement, and to a price reduction or final rejection if one repair or replacement fails. Within six months of delivery a fault is presumed to have been there from the start. Later you may have to prove it was, and Citizens Advice says you have legal rights for up to six years, five in Scotland. Citizens Advice adds that an extended warranty of at least 12 months, bought at the same time as an electrical item, can be cancelled for a full refund within 45 days.
How to pay so you can get your money back
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes a credit card provider jointly liable with the retailer for a breach of contract or misrepresentation, on a single item with a cash price of more than £100 and no more than £30,000. Citizens Advice’s example is a £250 washing machine bought with a £50 card deposit and £200 in cash: chargeback could recover only the £50 on the card, whereas with a credit card Section 75 would probably get back more. Our Section 75 guide explains the claim.
Two catches. Section 75 usually does not apply when you buy through a third party such as eBay, Amazon or PayPal. And a debit card has no Section 75 protection at all. Instead you can ask your bank for a chargeback of the amount paid on that card. Chargeback is a card-scheme process, not a statutory right, and the time limits are set by the scheme, so ask early. If you paid through PayPal, it allows 180 days from payment to open a dispute.
The National Cyber Security Centre’s advice on unfamiliar shops is simple: “Never pay by direct bank transfer.”
A credit card only helps if you clear it; interest can eat a discount quickly. If you will not repay in full, run the numbers first through our credit card payoff calculator.
Buy now pay later, now that it is regulated
The FCA started regulating deferred payment credit, the usual form of buy now pay later, on 15 July 2026. For agreements made from that date the lender must check you can afford it, give you clear information before you sign, contact you if you miss a payment and offer support, and you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Section 75 now applies to these agreements, “the same protection you’d have if you used a credit card”.
Two gaps remain. Agreements taken out before 15 July 2026 stay unregulated, and so does deferred payment credit provided by the business selling you the goods itself. Regulation does not change the arithmetic: late-November instalments fall due through December and the new year. Our explainer on the new BNPL rules has the detail.
Cashback: check the terms before the code
Cashback rates are set per retailer and per category, and cashback is only money once paid out. Take TopCashback’s Currys page as an example. On 19 October 2026 it listed 5 per cent on selected TVs up to £999.99, 10 per cent on selected TVs of £1,000 or more, and 1 per cent on all other online purchases, with some marked as timed offers.
The trap is the voucher code. The same page excludes purchases using a promotional or voucher code “not posted and approved by TopCashback”, and calculates cashback on the price “not including VAT, delivery or other fees”. Work it through on a £599 TV at 5 per cent: the price before VAT is £499.17, so cashback is £24.96 and the net cost £574.04. Use a £20 code from another site and you pay £579 with no cashback: £4.96 worse off. If cashback fails to track, the page allows 90 days from the order to submit a missing cashback claim. Our TopCashback vs Quidco comparison compares the two.
Is the shop real?
Before paying an unfamiliar site, check these.
- A real geographic address. The Consumer Contracts Regulations require an online trader to give the geographical address at which it is established. A PO box or no address is a warning sign.
- A company you can look up. If the site names a UK limited company, search it on the free Companies House register: check the number matches, that it is active, and when it was formed.
- A returns policy that states the 14-day cancellation right. A site saying “no refunds” on online orders is ignoring the law.
- The web address itself. The NCSC warns that scam sites copy the design and logos of real shops and use lookalike addresses. Type the address yourself. A browser padlock only means the connection is encrypted, not that the shop is genuine.
- Reviews from elsewhere. Do not rely on reviews a company publishes on its own site.
If you think you have been scammed, call your bank or card provider straight away on the number on the back of your card. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland report it to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025, at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland on 101. Suspicious websites can be reported to the NCSC through its online form.
If something goes wrong after the sale
Start with the retailer, in writing, naming the right you are using. Keep the order confirmation and your screenshots. If that fails and you paid by card, go to the card provider; a Section 75 or regulated BNPL decision can then go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Free consumer advice is available from the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales (0808 223 1144 in Welsh), Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline in Northern Ireland on 0300 123 6262.
The bottom line: the best Black Friday deal is usually the one you do not need. If nothing on your shortlist beats the six prices you wrote down, close the tab. The money is still yours in December.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday 2026 in the UK?
Friday 27 November 2026. Black Friday is the day after US Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday of November; in 2026 the Thursdays fall on 5, 12, 19 and 26 November, so Thanksgiving is 26 November. Cyber Monday is 30 November 2026. Many UK retailers start their sales earlier — Argos ran its 2025 Black Friday price guarantee from 31 October — so the date matters less than the price history.
Is it illegal to show a fake countdown timer?
Yes, if it is false. Falsely stating that a product will only be available for a limited time, to push an immediate decision, has been banned in all circumstances since 2008, and is now in Schedule 20 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which since 6 April 2025 lets the CMA fine firms directly. In October 2026 the CMA fined Wayfair £4.8 million after products stayed on sale at the same price or lower once its deal timers ran out.
Can I return something I bought in a Black Friday sale?
If you bought it online or by phone, yes: you have 14 days after delivery to cancel, then 14 more days to send it back, even for sale items. In a shop there is no legal right to return something you have simply changed your mind about; any returns window is the retailer’s own policy. Faulty goods are different — you can reject them for a full refund within 30 days.
Does Section 75 cover Black Friday purchases?
Yes, if you pay at least part of the price with a credit card and the single item costs more than £100 and no more than £30,000. The card provider is then jointly liable with the retailer for breach of contract or misrepresentation. It usually does not apply if you pay through a third party such as PayPal. Debit card payments rely on chargeback, which is a card-scheme process rather than a legal right.
Does buy now pay later give me Section 75 protection?
Only for regulated agreements. The FCA started regulating deferred payment credit on 15 July 2026, and from then Section 75 applies to it as it does to credit cards, along with affordability checks and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Agreements taken out before 15 July 2026 remain unregulated, as does credit provided directly by the retailer selling the goods.
Can using a voucher code stop my cashback?
Yes. TopCashback’s Currys page, checked on 19 October 2026, excludes purchases using a promotional or voucher code “not posted and approved by TopCashback”. A code from elsewhere can therefore wipe out cashback worth more than the code saves. Work out both options before you check out, and if cashback does not track, the same page gives 90 days from the order to submit a missing cashback claim.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Figures and legal positions are current at 19 October 2026, from the primary sources linked above and the published pages of the retailer and cashback site named. The DMCC Act, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Section 75 apply across the UK; the long-stop limit for faulty goods claims is six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and five in Scotland, and fraud is reported to Police Scotland rather than Report Fraud in Scotland. Retailer promotions and cashback rates change without notice, so check the page on the day. Worked examples are our own calculations on the stated figures. This article is general information, not personal financial advice — check your own position with gov.uk or the relevant body, or get free help from MoneyHelper or Citizens Advice, before acting on it.
