Increased scanning checks to ensure the price is right

While savvy shoppers are out and about hunting a bargain, the Office of Fair Trading has been out ensuring consumers are getting the right price at the checkout.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said fair trading inspectors conducted a series of spot checks of Queensland retail scanners in August.

“Office of Fair Trading inspectors visited over 200 businesses and compared the scanner price with the shelf price of more than 5,700 individual items. The inspections covered a wide variety of stores and businesses.

“The spot checks found only 73 per cent of the stores visited had fully compliant computer pricing systems. This represents only a small improvement on the results for 2007-08.

“Around two per cent of the 5,700 items checked scanned incorrectly in favour of the store.

“The Office of Fair Trading is now considering whether a number of prosecutions should be brought as a result of the recently completed spot checks.

Mr Shine said inspectors from the Office of Fair Trading would turn up the heat on traders using computerised scanning systems, with a significant increase in compliance checks planned for 2008-09.

“Traders have a responsibility to ensure their products are scanning at the correct shelf price,” he said.

“Under the Fair Trading Act 1989 it is an offence to make a false or misleading representation of the price of goods or services.

“In the 2007-08 financial year, the Office of Fair Trading inspected 647 stores, with almost 17,000 items scanned and checked against their advertised shelf price.

“Over 30 per cent of the businesses checked were found overcharging on at least one item.”

Mr Shine said the Office of Fair Trading was serious about ensuring consumers are not being ripped off and warned all retailers that if they do the wrong thing action would be taken, including significant fines as a result of court action.

“In 2007-08, the Office of Fair Trading prosecuted five businesses found to be consistently overcharging,” he said.

“Consumers should know they are paying the correct price for goods, and with rising costs of fuel and groceries many simply cannot afford to be overcharged.

“I advise consumers to take note of the advertised price when buying goods and if the price scans incorrectly they can dispute this at the time of sale.

“It also pays to check your docket before you leave the store to save a trip back.

"If you can't resolve the problem with the store, contact the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or call 13 13 04."

For more information on your consumer rights visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or contact 13 13 04.

Media contact: Kate Lennox 3224 7481 or 0421 127 869