Government unveils unit pricing details

SUPERMARKETS will be required to display and advertise the unit price of all packaged grocery items by the end of this year, under a federal government plan.

Details of the government's approach to the roll-out of a nationally-consistent, mandatory unit pricing regime were released on Thursday.

The planned scheme achieved a balance between consumers and business, Consumer Affairs Minister Chris Bowen said.

Under its scheme, unit pricing will apply to all store-based retailers who have a grocery display area greater than 1000 square metres and who supply at least a prescribed range of food-based grocery items.

Online retailers who supply at least a prescribed range of food-based grocery items will also be required to comply.

They will be required to include unit pricing on print advertising and website advertisements, but not broadcast advertising.

Unit pricing is the display of goods per unit measure - per 100 grams, 100 millilitres, per metre or per item.

"Unit pricing will help consumers compare packaged grocery items of different sizes easily and quickly," Mr Bowen said in a statement.

The scheme will be useful where the sizes of packaged items are similar but not identical, he said.

The government intends consulting with the retail and grocery industry before finalising the code.