Australian supermarkets are facing a crisis of transparency as they increasingly charge customers by the item, rather than by weight. This move has led to "wild volatility" in pricing, with some items costing over 50% more when sold individually.
A recent analysis found that Woolworths' online prices for fresh produce were completely arbitrary and lacked any real correlation with their in-store prices. For example, green capsicums were found to be a staggering 51% more expensive when priced by the item compared to their weight-based price of $9.90 per kilo.
The lack of transparency is causing concern among consumers, who are struggling to make informed decisions about their shopping budget. Without clear pricing information, shoppers are unable to compare prices effectively and may end up paying more than they need to.
Consumer advocates are calling for the regulations surrounding "per each" pricing to be reviewed and amended. The current system allows supermarkets to price individual items without displaying their weight-based price, making it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions.
"We want to understand whether per-unit pricing makes shopping easier," said a Coles spokesperson, who is currently trialing this pricing method in some stores. "We welcome feedback from our customers."
However, experts argue that supermarkets should be required to display unit pricing – the average weight of an item and its corresponding price per kilogram – to provide consumers with accurate information.
The Albanese government has committed to strengthening some aspects of the unit pricing code but has not announced any reforms to "per each" pricing. Assistant competition minister Andrew Leigh stated, "supermarket prices shouldn't be a guessing game."
As shoppers continue to navigate these confusing price systems, one thing is clear: consumers deserve transparency and clarity when it comes to supermarket pricing.
A recent analysis found that Woolworths' online prices for fresh produce were completely arbitrary and lacked any real correlation with their in-store prices. For example, green capsicums were found to be a staggering 51% more expensive when priced by the item compared to their weight-based price of $9.90 per kilo.
The lack of transparency is causing concern among consumers, who are struggling to make informed decisions about their shopping budget. Without clear pricing information, shoppers are unable to compare prices effectively and may end up paying more than they need to.
Consumer advocates are calling for the regulations surrounding "per each" pricing to be reviewed and amended. The current system allows supermarkets to price individual items without displaying their weight-based price, making it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions.
"We want to understand whether per-unit pricing makes shopping easier," said a Coles spokesperson, who is currently trialing this pricing method in some stores. "We welcome feedback from our customers."
However, experts argue that supermarkets should be required to display unit pricing – the average weight of an item and its corresponding price per kilogram – to provide consumers with accurate information.
The Albanese government has committed to strengthening some aspects of the unit pricing code but has not announced any reforms to "per each" pricing. Assistant competition minister Andrew Leigh stated, "supermarket prices shouldn't be a guessing game."
As shoppers continue to navigate these confusing price systems, one thing is clear: consumers deserve transparency and clarity when it comes to supermarket pricing.
I mean come on, can you even imagine walking into the supermarket and not knowing how much something costs? It's like they're trying to play some kind of pricing game with us... and it's just not right! 
.
.
]
]
"]
]
I think this is so annoying! Like, I'm trying to make a budget for my groceries but I have no idea how much stuff costs because prices are all over the place 
. Consumer advocates need to push for some real changes here 
. Unit pricing would be a game-changer – just imagine if you knew exactly how much that item was going to cost per kilo! 
.
!
Like, can't we just have clear and simple pricing? Is that too much to ask? 
. And I agree with the competition minister, supermarket prices shouldn't be like "guess who can make a profit?" 
. We need to start asking ourselves questions like "do I really need that item?" or "can I afford it even if it's not on sale?" 
. And let's be real, a little price comparison can go a long way 
it's just not right. they should be displaying the unit price like they're supposed to, so we can make informed decisions about our shopping budget. i mean, come on, 51% more for green capsicums just because you're selling them by the item instead of by weight? 
that's just ridiculous. 
. And I'm just sitting there thinking about how much work went into building something that's basically going to get destroyed by the tide in a few hours 
. Like, what's the point of all that effort? It's crazy! Anyway, back to supermarkets... this "per each" pricing thing is just nuts 
.