ComCom Releases Unit Pricing Guidelines for Grocery Retailers

The Commerce Commission (ComCom) has released its much-anticipated Unit Pricing Guidelines for grocery retailers, offering essential information on how they should comply with the Consumer Information Standards (Unit Pricing for Grocery Products) Regulations 2023.

What Are Unit Pricing Guidelines?

The newly released guidelines aim to help grocery retailers understand and meet their unit pricing obligations for regulated grocery products. These guidelines will assist both physical and online stores in adhering to the unit pricing regulations that became effective on 31 August 2023.

Key Dates for Compliance

• Physical stores must comply by 31 August 2024.
• Online stores are required to comply by 31 August 2025 at the latest.

Who Do These Regulations Apply To?

The regulations apply to any grocery retailer with an internal floor space exceeding 1,000 square meters and who sells at least one of the following product categories:

• Bread
• Dairy products
• Eggs or egg products
• Fruit and Vegetables
• Meat and Fish
• Rice
• Sugar
• Manufacturer-packaged food

Why Is Unit Pricing Important?

Unit pricing plays a crucial role in helping consumers make better-informed purchasing decisions. By providing a standardized way to compare prices across different products and sizes, unit pricing empowers shoppers to understand the actual cost per unit of products they are buying, facilitating more informed choices at the checkout.

How Can Retailers Prepare?

Grocery retailers, especially those in physical stores and online, should start reviewing the guidelines and preparing to meet the unit pricing requirements. The Commerce Commission encourages retailers to seek legal advice if needed to ensure full compliance with the regulations.

For more detailed information, you can access the full Unit Pricing Guidelines for grocery retailers provided by the Commerce Commission.

As the deadline approaches, it’s important for all affected retailers to start taking steps now to align their pricing and labeling practices with the new requirements. Unit pricing not only ensures regulatory compliance but also fosters transparency and trust with consumers, which benefits both businesses and shoppers alike.