New legislation has come into effect requiring all major UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Aldi, Waitrose and Lidl, to display prices more clearly. The reforms mandate standardised unit pricing across a wider range of products, such as cereals, pasta, dried fruits, detergents, cleaning products and cosmetics, using metric measurements per kilo, litre or metre.
Retailers must now show both the standard price and any discounted loyalty card price for the same product, with conditions for the lower price displayed prominently. This aims to eliminate confusion and help shoppers compare costs more easily. Practical exemptions apply to mixed product packages like gift hampers, and deposit amounts must be excluded from the selling price.
Alexa Lamont, Managing Associate at a legal firm, said: "The reforms are designed to enhance transparency and make it easier for shoppers to compare products across a wider range of goods. The additional preparation time will allow retailers to adapt their systems and processes to meet the new requirements."
Supermarkets must review their pricing systems, train staff, and potentially redesign physical and digital price displays to comply. The changes are intended to boost pricing transparency and make comparison shopping more straightforward for consumers.
