Supermarket always has wrong prices on shelf

Sarsfield

I occasionally purchase a couple of items at a city centre supermarket (which I won't name). I only use it because it's beside my bus stop.

I've noticed over the couple of years it's been open that it frequently (and I mean very frequently) displays prices on the shelf that are lower than the scanned price at the till. Nowadays I always make sure I remember the shelf price as items are being scanned and I refuse to take any item that's priced higher. Someone with a full basket or a trolley wouldn't be able to do this.

I know about the "invitation to treat" thing but I've become convinced this is a deliberate policy of the supermarket.

What's the best approach to this (apart from shopping elsewhere!)? Tackle local management, supermarket HQ or direct to the ODCA? It will be quite easy to gather examples due to the amount of overcharging that's going on.

Todays "final straw" item was a toothbrush with a shelf price of €2.99 and a scanned price of €4.99 so we're not talking pennies.

And another thing I forgot to mention - they don't issue receipts unless you demand one! Which sort of added to my belief that this is deliberate rather than incompetence.

sdanseo

Most of what you mentioned is completely illegal under the Consumer Information Act, 1978. I suggest you take up the issue with the manager of the particular store. If after a couple of weeks there's no improvement, report the matter to the Director of Consumer Affairs.

The maximum penalty for these offences has recently risen to €3000. If this is per single offence, the particular store may not have it's proces displayed inccorrectly for much longer

Oasis and The Statute Book are good references.

S

cast_iron

Pretty much what he said.^^ Tell the management you will ring the ODCA if you see it the next day. They will send around their price checkers in no length.

Good spot.

Let us know what he says.

jimmycrackcorm

The ODCA are very strict about the lack of shelf edge pricing and not so much about incorrect pricing under the "Invitation to Treat" clause.

They'll close a shop down over missing labels but can't do much about incorrect pricing.

MrPudding

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

The ODCA are very strict about the lack of shelf edge pricing and not so much about incorrect pricing under the "Invitation to Treat" clause.

They'll close a shop down over missing labels but can't do much about incorrect pricing.

I don't think that is actually true. As a poster mentioned earlier, it is a €3000 fine per item incorrectly priced.

There was a huge post on here about this, I think it was stickied for a while. Do a search for Tesco.

MrP

ScouseMouse

I run a shop and have been inspected twice. The office of consumer affairs sends in a inspector who identifies himeself then gets a basket. He goes and places 20ish random items in it while jotting down the price on the shelf. He then goes to the till and compares the price at the till. I had one item wrong out of 20 and he had to come back a month later. Then I had all correct out of 20. It is impossible to be perfect all the time, but to the trained eye, it is obvious who is trying and who isnt. If the inspector is not satisfied, the shop can be summonsed and fined in court. I had a good long friendly chat with him on his last visit
(whats the point of antagonising him) and he showed me a warrant he carries so if he is refused entry to any store, he can call the gardai who will accompany him.

Forget about the book of statutes, this is how it actually happens.

A shop manager

mikemac

Teco give the product free if the displayed is the incorrect price when scanned.
I got a free Sunday Business Post last Sunday. Price is €2.20 and scanned price was €2.30.
Called up the manager and got it for free.

I also got free Autosport Magazines for 5 weeks in a row as staff never changed the incorrect display price. Price was €4.88 but the till charged €5.

So you see OP, don't fight the system, find a way to take advantage of it.
BTW I shop in Tesco's. I don't know if other stores have such a policy.

Wishbone Ash

superscouse wrote:

It is impossible to be perfect all the time, but to the trained eye, it is obvious who is trying and who isnt

I think most people accept that mistakes happen but what I find annoying is the hostile attitude from staff when you point out that you have been charged a different price to that displayed. Then, to add insult to injury, they then inform you that the till is closed and that they can't open it without a manager/supervisor/boss etc. Do they think the customer is going to say "Ah, that's OK, you keep the difference!".

In my experience, filling stations are the main culprits.

brightspark

Dunnes stores also operate the policy of giving it to you free if the scanned price is different

sdanseo

As do Superquinn. A handy way of getting them off the hook, but there's no harm to it. The consumer stays happy

biko

Go in with a digital camera and snap some pics of the shelves. When they ask you what's going on say that you are collecting evidence for a lawsuit, and would they be so kind as to explain why receipts are not given voluntarily (speak into the microphone please)?

boomer_ie

micmclo wrote:

Teco give the product free if the displayed is the incorrect price when scanned.
I got a free Sunday Business Post last Sunday. Price is €2.20 and scanned price was €2.30.
Called up the manager and got it for free.

Not in tesco bray they dont, I tried to get a bag of potatoes for €2.99 (shelf Price) till price was €6.99, I pointed it out and they eventually agreed to give it to me for €2.99 (eventually being the word)

ScouseMouse

Tesco in the square also argue with you. They even told me one day it was only on tesco own brand lines. On another note, the cashier telling you they carnt open the till may be correct. My shop has done away with the open till now button after two scumbags with butchers knives tried to do us at lunchtime, three tuesdays ago.

Geek Nose

Sarsfield wrote:

I occasionally purchase a couple of items at a city centre supermarket (which I won't name).

Why won't you name them? Are you gay or something? It's not illegal to name a supermarket, y'know? They won't track your IP, find your house, and fight you! :rolleyes:

I'm sick of the prudish "who shall remain nameless" bullsh*t on consumer forums - why not just name them if you're so p*ssed at them, FFS?

antoinolachtnai

If this happens and you are annoyed by it, first take it up with the manager of the store. If you do not get satisfaction, write to the ODCA (there's an email box on their website) detailing

- the date and time when you had the difficulty
- the item was mispriced
- whether there were a number of items mispriced.
- what the reaction of the manager was when you brought this to his attention
- whether the manager was aware of the store's obligations as regards labelling under the European Communities (2003) regulations
- stating that you understand that this is an offence under the European Communities Regulations (2003) and that a fine applies
- stating that you are willing to appear as a witness in court in this regard

It is as well to send a copy of this message to the chief executive of the company

The Office will write to the merchant enclosing a copy of your letter.

What generally happens next, if the merchant has half-decent legal advice is that the merchant will write back to you confessing everything and with a contrite apology.

If the apology is not grovelling enough, or you are still feeling like causing some pain, you could write to the store, cc'ing the ODCA, suggesting that they make a 1000 euros contribution to a well-known, named charity. If they don't do this, then write to the ODCA again asking that they be prosecuted on foot of the letter they wrote you where they admitted the offence. (I have never done this last bit myself, but it sounds like it might be intersting to see what would happen.)

Red Alert

Open till now -> if pressured I would just scan some random item and hit cash, rather than have a scumbag looking at me with a knife.

bardcom

superscouse wrote:

Tesco in the square also argue with you. They even told me one day it was only on tesco own brand lines.

Interesting. Happened to me recently in Stillorgan. I was happy to buy the product at the (lower) shelf price. Supervisor said it's policy to give the product for free, and it wasn't a Tesco brand either.

Gary ITR

It happened me in PC World a while back. I bought an item that was priced 60 and I was charged 160 at the till. Turns out the labels were in the wrong place, Manager told me that these things happen and offered me a 10% discount. I said that it wasn't good enough and he told me to feck off. I rang their head office and complained there within a few mins of putting the phone down I got a call from the manager who had originally offered me the 10% and he asked me to pop back up and he'd give me back my 100e

Compak

If you visit the consumer association website recent cases include shops mispricing spar was one and were fined 250 euro for each offence.

Not to sabotage thread Onkle have you the number for PC World head office for Dublin. When I contacted them on the number on site I got linked to Uk and got TOld they had no jurisdiction over Liffey Valley

mikemac

superscouse wrote:

Tesco in the square also argue with you. They even told me one day it was only on tesco own brand lines.

Lies on Tesco's part.
In Artane Castle SC, they've a massive sign over the customer service desk explaining their policy.
Possibly check the customer service desk next time you're in your local Tesco.
They can hardly have different policy's for different stores.

Always ask for the duty manager if they start argueing

Gary ITR

Compak wrote:

Not to sabotage thread Onkle have you the number for PC World head office for Dublin. When I contacted them on the number on site I got linked to Uk and got TOld they had no jurisdiction over Liffey Valley

I don't have it, just wrote it dow and threw it away. I got through to the UK first and they gave me the number though

parsi

Onkle wrote:

It happened me in PC World a while back. I bought an item that was priced 60 and I was charged 160 at the till. Turns out the labels were in the wrong place, Manager told me that these things happen and offered me a 10% discount. I said that it wasn't good enough and he told me to feck off. I rang their head office and complained there within a few mins of putting the phone down I got a call from the manager who had originally offered me the 10% and he asked me to pop back up and he'd give me back my 100e

You should have told him to feck off and not pay ! Just make your point, leave the good there and walk out. And then ring HQ...

Gary ITR

parsi wrote:

You should have told him to feck off and not pay ! Just make your point, leave the good there and walk out. And then ring HQ...

Then I would have got nothing only an apology, the way I did it I got the item worth 160 for 60

OliviaM

About time to file complaint. :mad: Would even save the embarassment of not having enough money to pay such.:D