Shop ’till you drop

From Jan. 7 until March 7, shopoholics can hunt for bargains during the post-Christmas sale season in the city of Florence and surrounding areas. Although stores are bound by law to reduce prices only on end-of-season goods, and only after the Epiphany weekend in January, several sources reported that some shops in Florence’s city centre started to reduce prices early this year, many having taken advantage of a loophole in the law which allows shops to reduce prices up to 50 percent before closing down for renovations. In light of much swindling in past years by shop owners, authorities are warning consumers to be wary of discounts over 40 percent, as this likely means prices were raised prior to the start of sale season. They recommend that customers always ask for a receipt of purchase and to purchase only those items with price tags clearly indicating the original price, the discount amount, and the final sale price.