Gift card rules have changed

The aim of the changes is to give customers clearer information and stop gift card money from going to waste.

A minimum three‑year expiry

Any eligible gift card you sell must now last at least three years from the date of sale.

If you sell a gift card without stating the expiry, the law automatically sets it at three years. 

Clear expiry information

Expiry details must be easy for customers to find. Your gift cards must show:

• the exact expiry date, or
• “no expiry date”, or
• the date of sale and how long the card is valid for (for example: “expires 3 years from purchase date”). 

These rules apply to both physical and digital gift cards sold from 16 March 2026.

The rules cover most gift cards and vouchers sold or exchanged for value — including bonus gift cards you give with a purchase.

Some cards are not included, such as:

• cards given when goods are returned
• prepaid top‑up cards for telecommunications, transport, electricity, gas or water
• free gift cards
• vouchers automatically generated when a customer hits a spend or loyalty threshold (these aren’t treated as a sale).