In a surreal climate made of red zones, restrictions and contacts reduced to a flicker, the 2021 sales are about to start. Traditionally, the season of discounts it starts on the same day (or almost) in all Regions and is equivalent to full shops, crowds in the shopping streets, citizens trying to take advantage of the sales to buy what they need: from clothing to appliances, through furniture, accessories and whatnot. However, 2020 was the year of the Covid-19 pandemic and, although it is now behind us, the scenes seen in the past cannot and must not repeat themselves. For many people, tried by the economic consequences of the emergency, the sales represent an opportunity not to be missed to buy what you need, for shopkeepers and traders they could become the first real breath of fresh air after months of difficulty.
The 2021 sales will have a different flavor: it will be necessary to get organized, respect precise rules and above all pay attention to the calendar.
SALE 2021 AND RED ZONES
January 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th Italy is the red zone, January 4th is the orange zone instead. For this reason many regions have decided to postpone the start of the sales 2021, considering it useless to officially launch the discounts at a time when citizens cannot leave their homes due to a government decision. Other regions could decide to postpone it at the last moment. Before preparing your wallet and going out to go shopping, it is therefore more than ever advisable to take a look at the calendar and the dates established in your area.
Below, here is the complete calendar, region by region.
SALE 2021: STARTS JANUARY 2nd
There are four regions where the 2021 sales will start on Saturday 2 January despite the red zone. Let's talk about Basilicata, Campania, Molise and Valle d'Aosta.
However, there are differences between the various regions: in Valle d'Aosta for example, from 23 December, negotiations, by letter on plain paper, must give notice of the start of the 2021 sales to the one-stop shop of the Municipality in which the business is based.
ABRUZZO AND SARDINIA
In Abruzzo the 2021 sales start a day earlier than expected. The start has been set for Monday 4 January and the duration of the discounts will be sixty days. At least two days before the date on which the discounts begin, merchants must notify the SUAP of the competent municipality of the location of the premises, the start date of the sale and its duration, the quality of the goods and other information relating to the discounts.
In Sardinia the start date was instead set for Tuesday 5 January and the deadline for 5 March. In the 40 days prior to the departure date, promotional sales and clearance sales for the non-food sector are prohibited.
SALE 2021: WHO STARTS ON JANUARY 7
The sales season officially gets underway on January 7, when the restrictions imposed for the holidays will officially end and the discounts will begin in Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, Puglia e Sicilia.
"The effective date of the winter sales in Lombardy has been postponed to Thursday 7 January 2021 and will last 60 days", reads the resolution of the regional council. "The move from 5 to 7 January - explained the commissioner Mattinzoli - takes place, after hearing the representative associations, following the government's decision to make the whole country a red zone on 5 and 6 January with the consequent ban on moving and opening of shops".
In Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lombardy, merchants can carry out promotional sales in the 30 days prior to the sales. In Calabria it is forbidden.
Sicily has postponed the start of the discounts from 2 to 7 January. “We have decided to accept the request of the associations - explained the councilor Turano - and to start the sales on January 7 since on January 2 Sicily, like the whole country, will still be a red zone and therefore affected by strong travel restrictions ".
UMBRIA AND LAZIO
In Umbria the start date of the 2021 sales has been postponed from 5 to 9 January, while the conclusion has been set for 10 March.
In Lazio instead we start on January 12th. Businesses can carry out promotional sales even in the 30 days prior to the start date of the discounts.
MARCHE AND AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF BOLZANO
In the Marche and in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano the start date has been set for 16 January. But be careful because the latter distinguishes between non-tourist municipalities (which leave on 16 January) and tourist municipalities where the start of the discounts is scheduled for 13 February.
SALE 2021: JANUARY 29 AND 30
January 29 is the start date of the sales in Liguria Prohibited from running promotions in the previous 30 days. Veneto, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany instead they leave the day after, on January 30th, but in all three cases it is possible to make promotional sales in the previous 30 days.
AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF TRENTO
In the autonomous province of Trento sales are free. Merchants therefore have the possibility to manage sales and discounts in total autonomy.
SALE 2021: THE 10 RULES
In order to help clients and negotiations, the Confcommercio has published the "decalogue of safe sales", containing advice on how to shop while respecting the anti-Covid rules.
You must always keep the social distancing, sanitize hands before touching the goods (sanitizers must be available to customers) and always wear the mask.
As usual, the possibility of changing the purchased product is at the discretion of the shopkeeper, unless it is damaged or non-compliant. Even the fitting of the garments is at the discretion of the shopkeeper. Before doing so, it is always advisable to disinfect your hands. Never remove the mask in the dressing room.
Better to pay with cards and avoid touching too many bills that can be passed from one hand to another. Mandatory for retailers to indicate the normal sale price, the discount and the final price.
Each shop will have to exhibit a sign about the maximum number of customers admitted at the same time and on the time they spend in stores in times of Covid-19.
(Last update: 15.48 on 1st January).
