A new pilot to display the unit prices for commonly purchased grocery items will take place at selected supermarkets in Singapore.
In a joint media release on Saturday (15 March), the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) said this will start “later this year”.
Unit pricing means the price per unit of measurement will be displayed for a product, for example “$X per litre” or “$Y per kilogram”.
This will be shown alongside its selling price and is intended to help consumers compare the prices of products across different packages and brands.
They can then make more informed purchasing decisions, the agencies said.
The pilot will take place at selected outlets of five supermarket chains in Singapore:
At these outlets, consumers will get the chance to try out unit pricing for commonly purchased grocery products, such as rice, meat, eggs, cooking oils, fruits and vegetables.
Besides consumers, supermarket operators will be able to test out different displays of unit prices so they can figure out how to communicate information clearly to consumers.
As part of the pilot, feedback will be sought from consumers on details such as the benefits of unit pricing and how the prices are displayed.
This feedback will be gathered by a market survey firm, and it will provide “valuable insight” on how unit pricing displays can be refined to better meet consumers’ needs.
Consumers can take this opportunity to give feedback on their experiences, the agencies said, adding:
Consumers are encouraged to look out for more information to be rolled out during the unit pricing pilot.
CASE President Melvin Yong said unit pricing helps consumers “see through pricing gimmicks” quickly and easily.
It also addresses “shrinkflation” — the practice of shrinking a product’s size while offering it at the same price.
He noted that CASE’s Price Kaki app had implemented unit pricing for more than 6,000 products since 2023, and is “glad” that the government has heeded calls to pilot unit pricing at major supermarkets.
CASE will support the pilot by stepping up consumer education and is happy to share its experience and lessons learnt with the pilot team, he added.
CCCS Chief Executive Officer Alvin Koh said unit pricing can help consumers choose products that provide better value for money. This in turn encourages businesses to compete in offering better prices.
Also read: FairPrice Salmon Found To Weigh Less Than Labelled, Supermarket Says It’s Likely Human Error
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image from MS News.
He allegedly became abusive when told that he would be taken off the flight if…
The female car driver, 30, was arrested for careless driving without due care and attention…
Police are searching for the e-bike rider.
She was cremated at Mandai Crematorium on Sunday (16 March).
His father found him on the street and reported the incident to the police.
The incident is believed to be due to a bird strike.