Black Friday 2026 in Norway is 27 November: the 30-day reference-price rule and how to spot a fake discount

What is the 30-day reference-price rule?

The reference price – førpris in Norwegian – is the “before” price shown next to a discount. Under section 9a of the regulations on Lovdata, it is the lowest price the trader has applied in at least 30 days before the promotion started. The Consumer Authority reads this as the 30 days before the price cut itself, not before the advertising went out.

• Loyalty prices count. If members of a customer club paid less during the period, that member price can be the reference price.
• Escalating discounts. Where a reduction grows step by step, the reference is the lowest price before the first cut – so a Black Week offer that gets “even better” on Black Friday is still measured from the pre-sale price.
• Perishables are exempt. For goods that spoil quickly, the reference is the lowest price immediately before the sale.

According to the Consumer Authority’s guidance on reference prices (updated August 2025), section 9a applies to goods only. Services – including subscriptions such as streaming or the AI tools we compared in October – fall under the general rules of the Marketing Control Act instead.

Why 30 days is no guarantee of a real deal

The rule says nothing about prices older than 30 days. In principle, a shop can raise a price in early October and then “cut” it for Black Week.

According to price-comparison site Prisjakt, as reported by Tek.no on 5 November 2025, almost one in three prices in its sample rose in the run-up to last year’s Black Week. The sample covered 1,174,566 prices on 164,625 products; 14 per cent rose by 10 per cent or more. A year earlier, Prisjakt found that 15.9 per cent of Black Friday offers were “fake discounts” and that the average discount was just 5.9 per cent, Tek.no reported on 30 November 2024.

Raising prices ahead of a sale is not automatically lawful. Marit Evensen, a deputy director at the Consumer Authority, told Tek.no in November 2025 that a misleading impression can arise when shops push prices up before a sale, and that yo-yo pricing over time “can be misleading and unlawful”.

Retailers deny doing this: Netonnet told Tek.no it does not raise prices to create an illusion of a discount, and Elkjøp said its prices are genuine all year round.

Who enforces the rules – and what have they found?

The Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbrukertilsynet) enforces the rules and can issue fines. The Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) is a separate advocacy body that advises shoppers and lobbies for tougher rules.

In a decision dated 25 June 2025, the Consumer Authority fined the online fashion shop Floyd NOK 2 million. It had checked 20 dresses four times in November and December 2024 and found 48 breaches. On Black Friday, one dress was advertised at NOK 649 against a reference price of NOK 999 – “35% off”. The correct reference price was NOK 699, making the real discount about 7 per cent.

The problem is not unique to Norway. In a Europe-wide sweep of 314 online shops around Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 – with authorities from 23 EU countries, Iceland and Norway – 30 per cent presented their discounts incorrectly, the European Commission reported on 26 March 2026. The authority does not announce in advance which sectors or days it will check.

How to spot a fake discount before 20 November

1. Do the maths. Check that the advertised percentage matches the reference and sale prices.
2. Check the price history. Comparison sites such as Prisjakt chart each product’s price over time. Look back to at least 21 October – ideally to September, since last year’s increases were measured during October.
3. Compare shops on the same day. This is the Consumer Council’s own advice: a genuine discount in one shop may be the normal price in another.
4. Watch escalating discounts and member prices. If “20% off” becomes “30% off”, both count from the price before the first cut – and a cheaper club price may be the reference.
5. Pay safely. Use a payment card online, avoid instalment plans and credit – with interest rates where they are, the interest can wipe out the saving – and keep your receipt.

What happens next?

In a survey the Consumer Council published on 7 November 2025, 80 per cent said they had little or no trust that Black Friday offers were genuine. The council’s Thomas Iversen said trust had fallen since the 2023 rules took effect. The council wants the look-back period extended to 60 days, or a requirement that a certain number of items are actually sold at the reference price.

For now, the 30-day rule – which stems from the EU’s Modernisation Directive – still applies. If you are planning bigger purchases before the new year, other rules are changing too: Norway’s VAT exemption threshold for electric cars halves in 2027.

Frequently asked questions

When is Black Friday 2026 in Norway?

Friday 27 November 2026, with Black Week from 20 November at Clas Ohlson and Cyber Monday on 30 November.

Is it legal to raise prices before Black Friday?

Section 9a does not ban a rise more than 30 days before a sale, but the Consumer Authority says such hikes can mislead and may be unlawful on an overall assessment.

Does the reference-price rule cover subscriptions?

No. Section 9a covers goods only; services and subscriptions fall under the Marketing Control Act.

Can I return a Black Friday purchase?

For online purchases you have a 14-day right of withdrawal from the day you receive the goods, under section 21 of the Cancellation Act. It does not cover ordinary in-store purchases. Your right to complain about faulty goods also applies to sale items.

Where do I report a fake discount?

The Norwegian Consumer Authority supervises price marketing, so suspected misleading reference prices belong there. Screenshot the advert and the price history first.