The truth about mattress sales in the UK#

If you've spent any time looking at mattresses in the UK, you'll have noticed that most brands seem to run a permanent sale. "Was £1,200, now £499" is a standard display in high-street retailers. This is called an "was/now" pricing tactic, and it often involves inflating the reference price to make the discount appear more dramatic than it is.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has previously investigated misleading pricing in the bed and mattress industry. The reality is that the "sale price" on most high-street mattresses is effectively the normal price — the RRP is rarely paid.

When are genuine mattress deals available?#

For online-first brands (Emma, Simba, Nectar, Casper, Eve), genuine discounts tend to appear at predictable times:

  • Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November): The biggest sales of the year for mattress brands. Discounts of 30–50% are common and often genuine, as competition between brands is fierce.
  • January sales: Post-Christmas clearances. Brands look to shift stock and start the new year strongly. Good deals are available, though not always as deep as Black Friday.
  • Bank holiday weekends: Easter, early May, late May and August bank holidays see targeted promotions. Less consistent than Black Friday but worth monitoring.
  • Summer clearance (June–August): Some brands offer deals around the summer solstice as they prepare for their autumn ranges.

When not to buy a mattress#

Avoid buying at full price in September–October, when new season ranges launch at maximum RRP. Similarly, February–March tends to see the fewest genuine promotions in the mattress market.

How to spot a genuine UK mattress deal#

  • Check price history: Tools like CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) or browser extensions like Honey or Hotukdeals can show whether the "was" price is real.
  • Compare across retailers: The same mattress is often sold at different prices by different retailers. John Lewis, Amazon and direct brand websites may differ significantly.
  • Don't be rushed: High-pressure "sale ends today" tactics are usually false. The same price will be available tomorrow.
  • Focus on trial period, not just price: A mattress with a 200-night trial at full price may be a better deal than a discounted mattress with no trial.

Should you wait for a sale?#

If you're in genuine discomfort from a bad mattress, don't wait. A few weeks of poor sleep to save £100 isn't a good trade. If you can wait, Black Friday and the January sales offer the most reliable genuine discounts in the UK. Set a price alert and be ready to buy quickly — the best deals sell out.