The Federal government is reviewing the National Grocery Unit Pricing Code which from December 2009 has required large supermarkets and on line grocery retailers to provide the unit price (price per unit of measure) of most grocery items sold. The unit price is provided in addition to the selling price and allows consumers to easily compare the value and price of products.
The Post Implementation Review is being undertaken by Treasury to consider the costs and benefits of the Code. It will also include any enforcement issues and whether the Code is likely to satisfy its objectives now and in the future.
Several consumer and community organisations have been invited to make submissions and the closing date is 22 July.
The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) lead the successful consumer campaign for compulsory unit pricing and is preparing a submission which will be available soon for use by other consumer/community organisations.
The submission will argue, and provide evidence, that the Code has resulted in major benefits for consumers but that several changes to current arrangements are required to produce substantial additional benefits at low cost.
QCA encourages invited and other organisations to participate in the Review and to contact Ian Jarratt at ijarratt@australiamail.com if they want more information about the Review and/or a copy of the submission.