UK: Morrisons pledges "clearer" unit prices
By Dean Best | 10 September 2012
- Prices on 30,000 products to be changed
- Morrisons says changes in place by end of 2013
Morrisons, the UK's fourth-largest grocer, has said it will bring in "larger and more consistent" unit pricing to help "restore trust" in prices.
The company said "most products" will be labelled with the price per kilogram or price per litre.
The retailer plans to use new labels on shelves with a larger unit price. It also said it will use a "clearer unit price" on items on promotion so shoppers can compare deals with standard prices. Morrisons said the changes will be in place by the end of 2013. Some 30,000 prices will have to be altered, it said.
Chief executive Dalton Philips said: "For too long, retailers have not given customers enough information to easily compare prices. By doing this we believe we can restore trust in supermarket prices."
Morrisons is to introduce larger and more consistent unit pricing to help customers choose the best deal from different products.
The change in pricing will help customers to directly compare the prices of small and large packs and items that are at a promotion price with those at a standard price.
The changes will start now and finish rolling-out by the end of 2013 and will see most products labelled with a price per kilogram (for solids) or the price per litre (for liquids). There will be some exceptions where different measures are more relevant or required by law and we will be working with consumer champion Which? to see how we can give customers better information so they can easily compare prices.
Morrisons is introducing the following changes:
- New Shelf Edge Labels, with a larger unit price. Morrisons will be doubling the size of the unit price taking it to more than 50% of the size of the pack price
- More consistent unit pricing across the store so customers can make clear comparisons
- A clearer unit price on items that are on promotion so that customers can compare deals with standard prices.
Dalton Philips, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “For too long, retailers have not given customers enough information to easily compare prices. By doing this we believe we can restore trust in supermarket prices.”
Morrisons has been in talks with consumer champion Which? to understand the changes it thinks are necessary for customers to make easier choices.
Although customers will notice some changes in a matter of weeks, many will not all be evident until the end of 2013. Some 30,000 prices will have to be changed in the average store, and in the case of pre-packed food some manufacturing processes will have to be changed and this will take time.
Original source: Morrisons
Sectors: Private label, Retail
Companies: Morrisons
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