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Have you ever been at the check-out at a store and noticed that the price of an item rang up higher than the displayed price? It seems to happen all the time. We notice the mistake, the clerk apologizes and we typically say "Oh, well if that's the price then I don't want it" and the clerk puts it away.
But if you used the power of the "The Scanning Code of Practice" you could have saved $10 on the spot, or even gotten the item for free!
So how does this work exactly?
Well, the Scanning Code of Practice (AKA the The Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code) is a voluntary code that retailers follow, which protects consumers. It ensures that consumers are charged accurately for UPC-scanned and Price Look Up (PLU) products. Even though the Scanning Code of Practice is a voluntary code, it is followed by nearly every major retailer in Canada.
You will know that a retailer participates when you see the following notice posted at the entrances and/or at each check-out:
Sometimes you will see the slightly longer version which reads: "If the scanned price of a non-price ticketed item is higher than the shelf price or any other displayed price, the customer is entitled to receive the item free, up to a $10 maximum. When the item has a price tagged, the lowest price applies. When identical items are incorrectly priced, the second one will be sold at the correct price."
When you are at the check-out and you notice a that an item has scanned in at a higher price, you must stop the clerk and specifically ask them to give you the discount, since they will not do it automatically. Personally I have found that when I ask, the clerk has never heard of it and has to call over a manager. But ALL managers know about The Code and will cheerfully give the discount every time.
If you make a point of watching for suspiciously inaccurate pricing in stores you can really get a lot of free stuff!
For an easy-to-read brief of The Code, check out the official PDF from the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors. Or, visit the Canadian Retail Council for the full version of The Code. Also check out The Frugal Shopper for an easy-to-understand FAQ which gives more details on how The Code applies in specific situations.
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