January Sales

A long queue of shoppers wait patiently for the doors to open at the House of Fraser Department Store in Exeter for the start of the January sales. Many more keen shoppers fill Hatchers Department Store in Taunton.

In 1878 American born John Wanamaker decreed January would be the time of the ‘White Sale', bed linens which at the time were only available in white were to be sold in January at a discounted price to boost sales. Frequently these days ‘white sales' or January Sales are usually based on household goods or clothing, and their colour is no longer limited to white.