TK Maxx: where the stock and the RRPs come from
What TK Maxx and its owner say about the stock, what the rules say about the RRP beside it, and which names in the register are trademarks of the retailer itself.
Where the stock comes from
TJX, which owns TK Maxx, describes buying closeouts, cancellations and overruns, and “special production direct from brands and factories”. It also sells in-house and licensed brands, which it calls “a small percentage” of the mix, without giving a figure.
Source: TJX annual report (10-K), FY2026
TK Maxx UK says: “Some of our merchandise is manufactured for us and some we design.”
Source: TK Maxx, How we do it
Names registered to the retailer
In December 2013 Channel 4’s Dispatches found more than 150 brand names registered as TJX trademarks. TK Maxx said it doesn’t put RRPs on its own-brand goods.
Source: Channel 4 press release
The names in this register recorded as TJX trademarks are listed below.
What the RRP means
TK Maxx says its RRPs are “independently obtained from brand owners and our suppliers, who must provide evidence”.
Source: TK Maxx, How we do it
Under UK rules, an RRP may be used only if it doesn’t differ significantly from the price the product is generally sold at. A manufacturer’s say-so isn’t enough.
Sources: CAP guidance on RRPs; CMA pricing principles, 2024
The number on the tag
Unconfirmed. A former TK Maxx merchandiser said the tag number shows where an item came from: 1 means made for TK Maxx, 2 means genuine overstock, 7 means held over from a previous season. TK Maxx hasn’t confirmed this.
Source: Woman & Home
Gold Label
Gold Label is “a curated ‘edit’ of the high-end designer brands we offer”, in selected stores. It’s a merchandising label, not a brand.
Source: TK Maxx, What is Gold Label
Background from outside the UK
Not about TK Maxx UK, but about how outlet product and reference prices work elsewhere.
- 2011
- Coach reported that 87% of its factory-store merchandise was designed for the outlet. Source: WJLA
- 2015
- Michael Kors paid $4.875m over “MSRP” tags on outlet-made goods and relabelled them “Value”. Source: The Fashion Law
- 2018
- TJX settled a US “Compare At” pricing claim for $8.5m. Source: Top Class Actions
Names in the register recorded as TJX trademarks
111 names in the register are recorded as owned by The TJX Companies and registered to the retailer. For 18 of them we opened a register page or filing that confirms the registration. For the rest, the owner comes from a secondary source or a register entry whose current status wasn’t checked.