| The Grocery team at the Commerce Commission has issued a reminder that from 31 August 2024 physical stores must comply with the requirements under the new Unit Pricing Regulations (Regulations). Unit pricing aims to help consumers make better informed purchasing decisions. It shows prices of products in terms of the same unit of measurement. This can help consumers more easily compare the prices of different grocery products, especially where products are sold in different sized packs, unpackaged and by different brands. The Regulations require retailers to clearly display the unit price of their ‘regulated grocery products’ close to the purchase price where the product is sold or advertised (apart from audio and video advertisements). Online stores must comply with the Regulations by 31 August 2025, but the Grocery Commissioner is encouraging online sellers to comply earlier if at all possible. The Regulations apply to all in-store retailers with an internal floor space of 1,000sqm or more and which sell goods in all of the following product categories, as well as to any online retailer that sells goods in all of these product categories: Bread Dairy products Eggs or egg products Fruit Vegetables Meat Fish Rice Sugar Manufacturer-packaged food. “We published Unit Pricing Guidelines in March 2024 with the aim of helping grocery retailers understand their obligations under the Regulations. The Unit Pricing Guidelines are available on our website,” says the team. “We encourage you to seek legal advice if you are unsure about your obligations and if you have any questions or comments, please email grocery.regulation@comcom.govt.nz.” |
