Consumer champion calls for stores to simplify pricing

A consumer watchdog is calling on supermarkets to make pricing clearer, saying confusing practices are making it difficult for shoppers to work out which food and drink products are the best value.

Some versions of the same product can cost up to three-anda-half times more per unit at the same supermarket, Which? has found, highlighting why clear and consistent unit pricing is vital for helping consumers to find the cheapest option. A survey found that seven in 10 people could not work out the cheapest item in a range of real-life examples from supermarkets.

Which? tracked the prices of 10 popular groceries – including Coca-Cola, own-label semiskimmed milk, Dairy Milk chocolate, Nescafe instant coffee and Weetabix – at the “Big Four” supermarkets (Asda,

Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco) for three months.

In one example, up to 17 different-sized versions of Coca-Cola were available with prices varying between 11p and 50p per 100ml at Tesco. That’s 346% more for a shopper who buys four 250ml glass bottles (£5) than one who picks up a 1.5 litre bottle instead (£1.68).

Researchers also found the price per 100ml of own-brand semi-skimmed milk varied between 6p and 13p at Morrisons – that’s 133% more for a shopper choosing a 500ml bottle (65p) than one picking a 2.27-litre one costing £1.27.

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Food Policy, said: “At a time when food prices are a huge concern, unclear supermarket pricing means the vast majority of people are left struggling to find the best deal.”