New nationally representative CHOICE research shows that while more shoppers are using unit prices to save money, less people are finding it useful as problems with how supermarkets display unit prices increase.
"With the cost of living still soaring, many consumers are looking for ways to save money at the supermarket. While our research shows almost half of shoppers are comparing unit prices to help save money, an increase from 2022, we've seen a significant decline in people finding unit prices useful – 61%, down from 71% in 2022," says Senior Campaigns and Policy Advisor, Bea Sherwood.
"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," says Sherwood.
CHOICE research found:
- 38% of people reported issues with inconsistent units of measurement
- 38% encountered unit pricing text that was difficult to read
- 32% said the unit pricing was obstructed or covered
The recent CHOICE survey asked grocery buyers to look at product images with and without unit pricing to determine if they selected the best value for money.
"When we showed shoppers product images without unit pricing, only 63% chose the best value product. When unit pricing was included, this increased to 76%, highlighting that unit pricing still remains one of the most valuable tools to save on groceries," says 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," says Sherwood.
"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," says Sherwood.
Editor's notes:
CHOICE unit pricing data is based on an online survey designed and analysed by CHOICE, which surveyed 1,011 Australians who are the main or joint grocery buyers in their household. The data was weighted to ensure it is representative of the Australian population based on the 2021 ABS Census data. Fieldwork was conducted from the 4th to the 18th of June, 2025.
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