New World and Pak'nSave have removed the ability to sort items by price, sparking consumer concerns.
Consumer NZ has found that the ability to rank products by price – an essential tool for online shoppers – has vanished from the websites of two significant supermarkets owned by Foodstuffs.
“Shoppers are accustomed to having the option to filter by price on most retail websites, so this change is surprising and disappointing,” said Chris Schulz, investigative journalist at Consumer NZ.
Numerous retailers – including Woolworths and The Warehouse – still offer this crucial feature. Yet, New World and Pak'nSave have removed it entirely from their websites instead of defaulting to sort products based on their popularity.
A Consumer member alerted the watchdog to the removal of the price-sorting tool, expressing their frustration at the development.
Consumer verified the claim and confirmed that while the option to sort by price is no longer available on the websites, it remains accessible through the supermarkets’ shopping apps.
Consumer NZ surveyed everyday grocery items on both supermarkets’ online shopping sites to understand the move's implications. The results showed that Pams' products, the home brand for both supermarkets, dominated search results. This raised questions about how removing the price sorting feature would affect consumer choice and transparency.
“Such a move may limit options for shoppers and ultimately bolster supermarket profit margins at the expense of local suppliers,” Schulz said.
Consumer NZ contacted Foodstuffs to clarify why the sort-by-price tool had been removed. A spokesperson said they were upgrading the digital platform to improve e-commerce offerings, including more transparent unit pricing. A new sorting feature will be added soon to allow price and unit price comparisons.
However, the spokesperson did not specify when the price-ranking tool would return, leaving consumers in the dark.
In contrast, Woolworths confirmed that it had no plans to remove its price-sorting feature, emphasising its importance in providing customers with the best value.
Schulz described the removal of the sorting option as “bizarre”, especially amid ongoing concerns over food prices due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“This change could hinder consumers from making informed decisions about their purchases.”
He also reiterated previous concerns about supermarkets prioritising their brands in search results, emphasising the need for greater transparency and choice in the grocery market.
Consumer NZ has urged shoppers to remain vigilant and advocate for better online shopping tools that empower them to make informed purchasing decisions.
