AUSTRALIA | New CHOICE research showed that while more shoppers are using unit prices to save money, fewer people are finding it helpful as problems with how supermarkets display unit prices increase.
Senior Campaigns and Policy Advisor, Bea Sherwood, said that with the cost of living still soaring, many consumers are looking for ways to save money at the supermarket.
While the research showed almost half of shoppers are comparing unit prices to help save money, an increase from 2022, CHOICE has seen a significant decline in people finding unit prices helpful- 61 percent, down from 71 percent in 2022.
"We've also seen an increase in people reporting labelling issues at the supermarket, including inconsistent units of measurement, inconsistent formats, or labels that are too small or difficult to read," said Sherwood.
CHOICE research found:
- 38 percent of people reported issues with inconsistent units of measurement
- 38 percent encountered unit pricing text that was difficult to read
- 32 percent said the unit pricing was obstructed or covered
- unit pricing fails at the supermarket examples
The recent CHOICE survey asked grocery buyers to examine product images with and without unit pricing to determine if they selected the best value for their money.
"When we showed shoppers product images without unit pricing, only 63 percent chose the best value product. When unit pricing was included, this increased to 76 percent, highlighting that unit pricing remains one of the most valuable tools to save on groceries," added Sherwood.
"The government's consultation paper to improve unit pricing rules is a positive step towards helping consumers make more informed decisions. We hope the consultation leads to stronger rules to crack down on supermarkets doing the wrong thing and undermining the consumer's ability to choose the best value product."
CHOICE supports expanding the scope of the unit pricing code to more retailers, ensuring a more consistent and transparent approach across the board. Strengthening the rules and introducing strong penalties would also combat common issues with unit pricing, such as inconsistent units of measurement or text that is difficult to read.
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