Romania retail and holiday season preparations for 2026

Retailers across Romania are launching extensive Black Friday 2026 campaigns. Major players including Altex, Media Galaxy, and BRICO have scheduled a three-week event starting October 29, with Altex investing 400 million lei in infrastructure to support an estimated 2 billion euro turnover for the fourth quarter. Other retailers such as eMAG, DIGI, PC Garage, and Fashion Days have also announced specific promotional dates and mechanisms, including price-protection guarantees and tiered discount stages.

Simultaneously, the winter holiday season is approaching with various Christmas markets scheduled throughout the country. Craiova and Sibiu are set to open their festivities on November 13, 2026, while Bucharest's market in Piața Constituției is slated for November 27. Notably, Craiova's Christmas market has been ranked as the most beautiful in Europe by travelers via the European Best Destinations platform.

In response to the shopping surge, the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) has issued warnings regarding high-pressure marketing tactics, advising consumers to verify that discounts are based on the lowest price from the previous 30 days.