Soldes

Soldes is the French term for sales or discount periods offered by retail businesses. In many Francophone contexts, the word refers to formal, regulated periods when shops may advertise marked-down prices on selected goods. It also describes general promotional campaigns outside such windows in everyday language. The concept is widely used in retail across Europe and beyond.

In France, les soldes are a scheduled, nationwide event consisting of two main seasonal periods: the winter sales (soldes d'hiver) and the summer sales (soldes d'été). The start and end dates are set by prefectural authorities and published in decrees, and the periods typically last about four weeks. In overseas territories the dates and duration can differ.

During the soldes, retailers can apply discounts on eligible stock and display sale prices. National and local regulations govern how discounts must be advertised to protect consumers, including rules about clearly indicating the reduced price and the prior price in some cases. Outside the official windows, broad discounting is more restricted and promotional practices are subject to consumer protection rules.

Outside France, the term soldes is used in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada (Quebec), and other Francophone regions to describe seasonal price reductions, with local laws varying. The soldes are an important economic phenomenon, contributing to annual retail activity and consumer spending, and they have a strong online component in recent years.