Supermarket Checkout Rip off -

bogfire

Our local chain store shop is notorious for this. One price is displayed on the shelves - but the checkout price is different and surprise! surprise! the difference is always in the stores favour.

This happens so regularly it's laughable - anyone know to whom this could be reported?

..... and watch your change, the number of clerks that will try to short change you is unbelievable, I swear, I'll deck the next one that tries this on me. Won't he/she be surprised that a mild mannered middle aged lady has such a punch - I've been training on the WII.

Which brings me to my overall philosophy of Irish economics and politics - basically a country will get the government it deserves and a country full of lying thieving swindling near do wells - deserve a lying cheating swindling leader who kept lying until he was finally cornered (at great expense to the tax payer.)

Saruman

Wow you went from being ripped off by a supermarket, to boxing on the wii and then on to some cynical rant about cheating government types... all in one post!
Welcome to boards

jawlie

bogfire wrote: »

Our local chain store shop is notorious for this. One price is displayed on the shelves - but the checkout price is different and surprise! surprise! the difference is always in the stores favour.

This happens so regularly it's laughable - anyone know to whom this could be reported?

..... and watch your change, the number of clerks that will try to short change you is unbelievable, I swear, I'll deck the next one that tries this on me. Won't he/she be surprised that a mild mannered middle aged lady has such a punch - I've been training on the WII.

Which brings me to my overall philosophy of Irish economics and politics - basically a country will get the government it deserves and a country full of lying thieving swindling near do wells - deserve a lying cheating swindling leader who kept lying until he was finally cornered (at great expense to the tax payer.)

It's funny you say that as I thought it was only me. I live near superquinn in knocklyon and sometimes walk there (it's about a mile or two). So, rather than buy a lot of things, I often buy one or two items as I have to carry them home. If I was buying a number of items or a biggish shop, I probably would not notice, but when buying a couple of items I have been overcharged 5 times in the last couple of years. I have never been undercharged. The latest was yesterday when I popped in to buy a bottle of scotch. White & McKay's was on teh shelf for €19.95 but I was charged €21 when I got to the till.

MistyCheese

Oh yeah, this happens to my husband and I all the time. I won't name the culprit. Let's just say it's an anagram of dali!

zAbbo

I know Dunnes give you the item free if the pricing is incorrect.

Saruman

Tesco too, its store policy! signs up and everything. I got a free hot chocolate once because of it.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

oneweb

What the supermarket is doing is illegal and they can/will be fined for misleading prices, just as shops are fined for not displaying any prices at all.

Check out the consumer association's page on the matter, and the links at the bottom of the article to report such abuses of the pricing laws.

If these kinds of business fail to display their prices or charge you more than the price displayed, they may be in breach of the regulations and you should tell National Consumer Agency (NCA).

serfboard

bogfire wrote: »

Our local chain store shop is notorious for this. One price is displayed on the shelves - but the checkout price is different and surprise! surprise! the difference is always in the stores favour.

This happens so regularly it's laughable - anyone know to whom this could be reported?

The National Consumer Agency - http://www.nca.ie

From their website:

But if the price charged is different to the price displayed, they may be in breach of the regulations. In this case, contact the National Consumer Agency on 1890 432 432 with the details.

If no price list is displayed, this may also be an offence - again, contact the National Consumer Agency with the details.

mick.fr

All shops over Ireland do that. Happened to me so many times. Any type of shop really.
Lack of labelling skills or secret envie of misleading customers.

The painfull thing is that when you notice the price billed is not the same, you speak to the cashier who does not give a crap an tells you to get lost cause the computer tells it is that price.

So you insist a bit and then she takes it bad until she goes checking herself.
Then she comes back with apologies...

The other way around happened to me as well, when price was lower on till or when cashier gives me back too much change.
I probably have been pwned so many times that I consider it justice :-)

MonsieurD

I shop at Tesco (my nearest supermarket) and have been overcharged on many occasions due to different price on shelf to that when scanned by shop assistant. I have spotted the difference a number of times. And have probably missed the overcharge even more times.

Anytime I have spotted the overcharge, Tesco have refunded the money in full and given me the item free.

However, I have been using the auto checkout for a while now, and i am much more in control as it allows me to scrutinise the price of items as I scan them. It allows me to spot overcharges. Again, when I have spotted overcharges, Tesco refund the money and give me the item free.

If you haven't already, try the auto checkout.

Still, it makes you wonder why they can't get the shelf prices to match the checkout prices with all the computer technology at their disposal.

jaffa20

I am sick and tired of being overcharged in my local dunnes. They never give me a full refund when i complain,only the difference :mad: I am that fed up that i just don't bother any more unless there is a massive difference in the price that i was supposed to pay. For eg,i once saw a bottle of wine displayed at 6.99e on one shelf. i went to buy it and it was 8.99e. I went back to customer service and the guy went to check. He came back with the price label marked at 8.99e saying that it was displayed like this and i was mistaken. I then showed him where i found the wine and on this shelf it was marked at 6.99e. I was given 2e back and they didn't even apologise. In fact, i said i was sorry and he just threw me a dirty look :eek::mad::mad:

End of rant :P

deelite

I always call for the manager when I've been overcharged / short changed - and air my problem regardless of the amount - and then ask whether or not he's surprised the customers are now shopping elsewhere.......

Davidth88

I don't often have a good word to say about Tesco , but you do get your money back and the item for free , no arguements.

Yesterday I got a very nice pkt of sausages for nothing because of this.

My brother ( in the UK ) got a tank of free petrol from Tesco's because they were displaying the wrong price.

I always always check my reciept , often I see a price I think was wrong , walk back to the item and see that I misread the label, or the special offer didn't apply to the item I purchased.

However on a few occasions I get the item for free.

I have had problems at my local convenience store where the assistant tried to charge me 10c more for my paper that it was, I basically told her I was paying the price on the paper.... anyway it finished with me leaving the paper and other goods on the counter and I have never been back .

Zzippy

Davidth88 wrote: »

My brother ( in the UK ) got a tank of free petrol from Tesco's because they were displaying the wrong price.

Sorry, but how the hell?

Its not like he brought 50 litres of petrol to the till and the price scanned was wrong... surely the price on the pump would show up automatically on the till and he couldn't be overcharged?

getz

it is against the law in the uk to price a item and then charge a higher price at the till-i know it dose happen that is why the shop in the uk will either give it to you free or charge you the price stated----i will try to explain it better by saying one large supermarket near me priced up a tv at £ 120 it should have been £320 this wasent spotted until the customer took it to the till ,they had to charge her the price showing--when she picked it up--after that they put up the correct price on the tvs

Davidth88

Its not like he brought 50 litres of petrol to the till and the price scanned was wrong... surely the price on the pump would show up automatically on the till and he couldn't be overcharged?

Simple , a 10 foot sign hanging up saying that petrol is xxx per litre, and then they charge yyy

Now of course the pump almost certainly had the right price , I know it took hime some arguements , but their ' no quibble ' thing is quite straightforward , they were displaying the wrong price.

My brother is not a person who would back down , nor do I think he was making it up

Corruptedmorals

There are cameras above tills in supermarkets and most big stores. Tills also have to balance. I refuse to believe people are regularly short-changed in supermarkets, deliberately. As for price difference, it's not deliberate. I work in Dunnes (drapery though), the clothes come in at a certain price and are usually marked down a euro or 2, but if someone doesn't check the price to make sure it's right before the product goes on the shelves, it'll go through the tills at the original price. Afaik, Dunnes don't operate the price mistake- get it free policy, but I know Tesco do.

mikemac

bogfire wrote: »

..... and watch your change, the number of clerks that will try to short change you is unbelievable, I swear, I'll deck the next one that tries this on me. Won't he/she be surprised that a mild mannered middle aged lady has such a punch - I've been training on the WII.

There are cameras on every till in a supermarket. To protect the staff and to watch the staff.
It'd take a very clever cashier to steal from a till, if it's not getting balanced then at best they'll be put on the floor or they could be let go.

Shortchanging is rife in busy pubs, but it's pretty unlikely in a supermarket.

If you want a tip, when handing over a note say "here is 50 euro". Or whatever note you have. This works as a reminder to yourself and also the cashier can't easily give change of 10 euro and tell you that you were mistaken.
Use it everywhere, it works

gerrycollins

oneweb wrote: »

What the supermarket is doing is illegal and they can/will be fined for misleading prices, just as shops are fined for not displaying any prices at all.

Check out the consumer association's page on the matter, and the links at the bottom of the article to report such abuses of the pricing laws.

You are correct however many times its human error and if its reported the to shop it will be dealt with promptly, however the shop has a case to answer to if it can be proven it happens all the time.

You can report the shop and they will be visited by an auditor who will do a sample shop however even they allow 1 in 10 to be incorrect(u have to allow for human error).

As a person in ther retail game its embarrasing the number of shops that dont put in place a proper procedure for changing the pricing on the shleves, they are only doing themselves harm and the industry. I have worked for over 11 years in retail and have had 6 visits(none reported just random,yes they do them) and never had so much as one item wrong so please dont all tar us witht he same brush.

jdivision

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

Dunnes don't operate the price mistake- get it free policy, but I know Tesco do.

Some branches do, some don't. Have been told store policy's at the manager's discretion.

paddydriver

I have often got money refunded and item free in Tesco - generally when they have made a mistake on an offer; like another said, I will go back and check the shelf after being through the till and then take the shelf label up to customer services with me. They very rarely question it and when I have been wrong I accept it.

Someone said Dunnes have same policy - I am not sure if this is the case as they will try ridicule you into backing down; they will get 3 people over to look at it etc and before long you just say feck it and go. Once I was up there on a Sunday morning to do a shop and there was an offer on baby meals so I stocked up - saw on the receipt it had not gone through so questioned it; between the time I questioned it and then managed to get someone to come down and check it, they ahd taken down the offer and then denied this! The offer supposedly ended on Sat night but they never bothered taking down the signs. Tesco on the other hand have the end date for the offer on the shelf labels - Dunnes make their own dates!

Call me tight and all that but in my eyes its better off in my pocket than theirs and every penny is a prisoner to me:D Two hungry kids to feed and one income household - they ain't pulling wool over my eyes:p

the groutch

getz wrote: »

it is against the law in the uk to price a item and then charge a higher price at the till-i know it dose happen that is why the shop in the uk will either give it to you free or charge you the price stated----i will try to explain it better by saying one large supermarket near me priced up a tv at £ 120 it should have been £320 this wasent spotted until the customer took it to the till ,they had to charge her the price showing--when she picked it up--after that they put up the correct price on the tvs

here is the NCA guidlines on this:

The price displayed should be the price charged. However, you are not automatically entitled to the product at the lower price if a higher price registers at the till. As long as the seller informs you before he takes your money, you have the choice of walking away from the deal.

So in this case, because the seller spotted the mistake before the transaction was completed, they are within their legal right to refuse to sell it at the £120, and the person in this case got lucky

This is why if you know the price is wrong, then pay first and then copmplain, because if you point out the error at the tills before paying, they don't have to sell at the cheaper

This is covered under INVITATION TO TREAT in the contract law section of almost every law book ever written

Brian Capture

MistyCheese wrote: »

Oh yeah, this happens to my husband and I all the time. I won't name the culprit. Let's just say it's an anagram of dali!

ALDI

mcwhirter

It usually happens whenever I shop in Tescos, usually when there is an offer on.

The_Conductor

the groutch wrote: »

here is the NCA guidlines on this:

The price displayed should be the price charged. However, you are not automatically entitled to the product at the lower price if a higher price registers at the till. As long as the seller informs you before he takes your money, you have the choice of walking away from the deal.

So in this case, because the seller spotted the mistake before the transaction was completed, they are within their legal right to refuse to sell it at the £120, and the person in this case got lucky

This is why if you know the price is wrong, then pay first and then copmplain, because if you point out the error at the tills before paying, they don't have to sell at the cheaper

This is covered under INVITATION TO TREAT in the contract law section of almost every law book ever written

Correct.
Which is why Tesco will only give you a refund and the item free- if you have already paid for it....... If you notice the difference at the till before you have actually paid- you simply get it at the lower price.

thepoolgirl

I was nearly done out of a 50 in M&S to busy talking.:rolleyes:

All she gave me back was 11.00 i said excuse me i gave you a 50.
was told oh no you never i said oh yes i did and I'm NOT moving till i get my money she huffed and puffed and said are you sure cheek.
I stood my ground and in the end i got it.

There so bloody rude :mad:

dubscribe

micmclo wrote: »

If you want a tip, when handing over a note say "here is 50 euro". Or whatever note you have. This works as a reminder to yourself and also the cashier can't easily give change of 10 euro and tell you that you were mistaken.
Use it everywhere, it works

GREAT TIP

The number of times recently I've handed in a ten or twenty note and got back the wrong change!!! Fortunately/Unfortunately, my budget is so tight these days I have to account for every penny I spend.

I'm sure it wasn't intentional, just carelessness BUT to loose five or ten euro change - ouch.

I'll definitely try to remember your tip from now on.

Thanks.

dubscribe

paddydriver wrote: »

Once I was up there on a Sunday morning to do a shop and there was an offer on baby meals so I stocked up - saw on the receipt it had not gone through so questioned it; between the time I questioned it and then managed to get someone to come down and check it, they ahd taken down the offer and then denied this! The offer supposedly ended on Sat night but they never bothered taking down the signs. Tesco on the other hand have the end date for the offer on the shelf labels - Dunnes make their own dates!

What a horror story and unfortunately, very believable. Especially these days when every penny counts and especially those who have to watch every penny.

Gosh - I'll be on the lookout for that scam :rolleyes:

EdgarAllenPoo

This happens where I work and the simple explaination for it is that some price changes are slow to appear on the computer system used by the tills, just go to a manager, show them the displayed price and the price you paid and they'll sort it.

gerrycollins

dubscribe wrote: »

What a horror story and unfortunately, very believable. Especially these days when every penny counts and especially those who have to watch every penny.

Gosh - I'll be on the lookout for that scam :rolleyes:

its not a scam its human error, the promos start sunday morning and very badly, for the store, went about doing it the wrong way, sign down then change price/promo and their will be no trouble

yes they were sh1ts not to honour the promo ill agree to that much but to call it a scam is a bit much.do you honestly think that they had an employee waiting for the customer to buy into the "scam" and then run around take down the sign and deny it ever happened?men in black stuff.

from reading all the posts on this i hope you will agree that every supermarket has failed somewhat in their pricing. what you need to do it point it out to the management or head office if your not satisfied with the first response. by informing the shop they should improve their standard otherwise shop in a shop that has their pricing bang on.

parsi

paddydriver wrote: »

ITesco on the other hand have the end date for the offer on the shelf labels - Dunnes make their own dates!

Dunnes also have the end-date on their special offer shelf signs.

mixer101

Oh yeah, this happens to my husband and I all the time. I won't name the culprit. Let's just say it's an anagram of dali!

Brian Capture wrote: »

ALDI

Well done Brian!!
(Not sure MistyCheese will notice your remarkable spelling prowess though, it's 6 months since they posted...);)

busman

smccarrick wrote: »

Correct.
Which is why Tesco will only give you a refund and the item free- if you have already paid for it....... If you notice the difference at the till before you have actually paid- you simply get it at the lower price.

It is best to do this when they are at their busiest ;-)
Just be sure you have a nice line of people waiting behind you before you say anything!
The manager will be at the checkout in seconds! NOT!

segaBOY

Brian Capture wrote: »

ALDI

Pat on the back

itarumaa

Quite same story with Tesco, if there is two for one offer etc you can bet that maybe 7/10 times the offer is not correct.

Really strange that you never get that problem in Lidl.

KatCookie

well they never have those 2 for 1 offers in Lidl, they appear not to have the same problem with leftover stock so they have to put down prices, if you ask me

deelite

itarumaa wrote: »

Quite same story with Tesco, if there is two for one offer etc you can bet that maybe 7/10 times the offer is not correct.

I was in Tesco for one of their 2 for 1 offers (yogurt drinks) and it wasn't deducted. I asked why and was told that it was only certain flavours (but not blackcurrant) that were on special. I asked why the blackcurrant ones were so prominently displayed under their "2 for 1" sign - no answer for that but did give back my money.