Territory shoppers are being encouraged to read the unit price of groceries and not just rely on the display price in order to make savings on their trips to the supermarket.
Sandy Otto, Commissioner of NT Consumer Affairs said that with discussion in the community about possible inflation and interest rate rises, many people are looking at ways to save money to balance the family budget, and that unit pricing can help.
“While we are often attracted by a displayed price that may seem cheaper to a similar item, it pays to make sure the comparison is like for like.
“It is unit pricing that gives all of us the power to quickly and easily compare products and identify the true cost of grocery items,” Ms Otto said.
“Unit pricing on shelf labels in grocery stores show consumers the value of grocery products as a cost per standard unit of measurement.
Large grocery stores, and some online retailers that sell a wide range of grocery and food items – such as bread, breakfast cereal, milk, meat, fruit, vegetables, toilet paper and detergent – must display unit pricing.
A simple example could be branded dishwasher tablets. If a pack of 50 is $10, the shelf label will also show that each tablet has a unit cost of 20 cents each. In comparison if a pack of 75 tablets is $11.25 it may initially seem more expensive but the shelf label will show the unit cost per tablet is lower at 15 cents each.
Once you become used to using unit pricing it becomes easy to compare not just different sizes within brands, but also between different brands and between packaging types such as fresh and frozen.
Ms Otto said with unit pricing you can quickly and easily compare the value for money of different package sizes and brands and select the one that best fits your budget and family needs.
“Unit pricing allows us to answer many of those questions that we ask ourselves when we are shopping,” she said.
“Would a 2kg pack of potatoes on special be more cost effective than buying loose potatoes? Would deli ham be more cost effective than buying pre-packaged ham for making school lunches? How much of a premium would I pay if I choose the grated cheese over a block of cheese?
“These questions can be answered with a simple glance at the unit price displayed with the shelf price.”
Keep these money-saving tips in mind for your next grocery shop:
The unit price of large packs is often lower than small or medium size packs. But not always so it pays to check. Also avoid buying a bigger pack if it’s likely to go to waste.Compare the unit price of different sizes of the same brand’s product, as well as different brands of the same product.Look out for special offers which might temporarily have the lowest unit price – but not always.If a product is available loose or pre-packaged, check the unit price of both.Compare unit prices in different parts of the supermarket. The same product may be sold in different sections, for example, cheese, meats, seafood, nuts, fruit and vegetables.
