Consumer Council flags shelf, checkout price discrepancies

The Consumer Council of Fiji has issued an urgent public alert warning shoppers to be vigilant after uncovering widespread price discrepancies between shelf labels and checkout prices in supermarkets nationwide.

The warning comes as Christmas shopping intensifies, with the Council saying recent surveillance revealed that items advertised as discounted or on promotion were frequently scanned at higher prices at the checkout.

The Council said consumers often only receive the discounted price if they notice the error and raise it with cashiers, meaning shoppers who are rushed or fail to check their receipts may unknowingly pay more than expected.

The issue was most commonly found with products nearing expiry, fruits and vegetables, and promotional items displayed separately with reduced prices. In many cases, checkout staff were required to manually override the system to apply the correct price.

While some retailers have attributed the discrepancies to human error, the Consumer Council said the frequency and consistency of the problem raised serious concerns.

The Council’s chief executive officer said retailers had a responsibility to ensure pricing accuracy, particularly during peak shopping periods.

“While consumers are ready to pay the price clearly displayed on the shelf, retailers must ensure that the same price is enforced at the point of sale,” the CEO said.
“The recurring mismatch between shelf prices and checkout prices cannot simply be dismissed as mistakes. The pattern we are observing raises concerns that these practices may be deliberate, and this is deeply unacceptable.”

The Council warned that even small price differences could add up quickly, especially for families purchasing multiple items during the festive season.

It said households were particularly vulnerable to being overcharged without realising it until after leaving the store.

Shoppers are being urged to check prices carefully before payment, review receipts immediately, and raise any discrepancies with store management. Consumers are also encouraged to report incidents to the Consumer Council.

The Council said it would continue monitoring supermarkets throughout the festive season and beyond to protect consumers from unfair pricing practices.

Consumers can report concerns through the National Consumer Helpline 155 or via email at complaints@consumersfiji.org