Consumer group CHOICE has welcomed the Federal Government's consultation to strengthen unit pricing rules and address shrinkflation. CHOICE has been calling for changes to the Grocery Unit Pricing Code for years to make unit pricing easier for consumers to use, including making it more visible and ensuring it's used consistently.
Quotes attributable to Andy Kelly, Deputy Director of Campaigns and Communications:
"Comparing unit prices remains one of the most useful tools people have to help save on groceries. Unfortunately, supermarkets continue to undermine the scheme. We've received dozens of examples of dodgy unit pricing from CHOICE supporters, including unit prices that are too small to read, obscured, use inconsistent units of measurement, are completely incorrect or missing altogether."
"It's crucial that this consultation leads to stronger rules and penalties to crack down on supermarkets doing the wrong thing and undermining the consumer's ability to choose the best value product."
"CHOICE supports strong penalties for dodgy unit pricing to help the ACCC clamp down on supermarkets doing the wrong thing. To make shrinkflation more transparent, and help people avoid spending extra unknowingly, clear labels on shelves should alert customers to when a product has shrunk, but the price has remained the same or increased."
"Given how effective unit pricing is at helping consumers save money, CHOICE supports expanding the scope of the code to more retailers and ensuring a more consistent and transparent approach across the board."
Read more about CHOICE's shrinkflation investigation here.
CHOICE's submission to the ACCC's supermarket inquiry can be downloaded here.
Image: Earlier this year, CHOICE supporters sent in dozens of examples of poor unit pricing at supermarkets across the country.
Image: Shrinkflation examples from CHOICE's 2024 shrinkflation investigation.
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