The Scanner Price Accuracy Code is a Canadian retail voluntary practice managed by the Retail Council of Canada and endorsed by the Competition Bureau. It was introduced in June 2002 as Canadian retailers were in the midst of updating their point-of-sale systems with

barcode reader A barcode reader or barcode scanner is an optical scanner that can read printed barcodes and send the data they contain to computer. Like a flatbed scanner, it consists of a light source, a lens, and a light sensor for translating optical impul ...

s to "foster consumer confidence" with the new systems. It provides consumers with compensation for items with an incorrectly scanned price. It was developed by the Retail Council of Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (now Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada), the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors.

Code

The code applies only to retail shops that participate in the voluntary program. One of its key features is the "Item Free Scanner Policy". If the price of an item scans incorrectly during checkout at the point of sale, the customer is entitled to request a price adjustment; if the item's price is less than $10, they receive it for free, and if the item's price is at least $10, the customer receives a $10 discount. If the customer purchases more than one of that item, the first one is subject to the price adjustment, and the others are charged at the posted sale price. The sale price may include that posted in the shop, in an advertising flyer, or in online advertisements. Items covered by the code include those that have a

Universal Product Code The Universal Product Code (UPC or UPC code) is a barcode#Symbologies, barcode symbology that is used worldwide for tracking trade items in stores. The chosen symbology has bars (or spaces) of exactly 1, 2, 3, or 4 units wide each; each decimal ...

(UPC), a

Price look-up code Price look-up codes, commonly called PLU codes, PLU numbers, PLUs, produce codes, or produce labels, are a system of numbers that uniquely identify bulk produce sold in grocery stores and supermarkets. The codes have been in use since 1990, and ...

(PLU), or other

barcode A barcode or bar code is a method of representing data in a visual, Machine-readable data, machine-readable form. Initially, barcodes represented data by varying the widths, spacings and sizes of parallel lines. These barcodes, now commonly ref ...

s that are scanned at the point of sale by a barcode reader. The code does not apply to items that are individually priced (that is, they have a

price tag A price tag is a label declaring the price of an item for sale. It may be a sticker or attached by twist tie or other means. Some jurisdictions require items (possibly exceptions for bulk good and produce) to be individually marked with the p ...

), items that are weighed (such as

produce In American English, produce generally refers to wikt:fresh, fresh List of culinary fruits, fruits and Vegetable, vegetables intended to be Eating, eaten by humans, although other food products such as Dairy product, dairy products or Nut (foo ...

prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs c ...

s, and cosmetics available only "behind-the-counter".

Problem resolution

A customer unsatisfied with the cashier's point-of-sale resolution for a price discrepancy should first attempt to resolve it with the shop's manager or supervisor. If this does not result in a resolution, the consumer may call the Retail Council of Canada Scanner Price Accuracy Committee at a toll-free telephone number to register a complaint. About 92% of the 1000 annual calls received by the committee are not legitimate complaints. Incorrect charges for individually priced items are covered by the '' Competition Act'', and unresolved price discrepancies reported to the Competition Bureau.

Participation

There are few participating retail chains, but they represent over 7,000 shops throughout Canada, excluding those in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

which are covered by the provincial '' Consumer Protection Act''. Among them are Best Buy, Canadian Tire,

Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only big-box warehouse club retail stores. As of 2021, Costco is the third-largest retailer in the world, and as of August 2024, Cos ...

, Giant Tiger,

Home Depot The Home Depot, Inc., often referred to as Home Depot, is an American multinational corporation, multinational home improvement retail corporation that sells tools, construction products, appliances, and services, including fuel and transportat ...

, Lawtons, Loblaw Companies, Rona, Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys, Toys "R" Us, and

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

. Shops of participating merchants are required to post a sign about the code near the entrance to the shop, and some also post a notice or sticker at the point of sale.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web, url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/scanner-sale-price-errors-1.3994752, title=Special code means shoppers charged full price for sale items could get them free, last=Colbert, first=Yvonne, publisher=

CBC News CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...

, date=23 February 2017, access-date=28 November 2021 {{Cite news, url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/scanner-price-accuracy-voluntary-code, title= Did you know you're entitled to $10 off a wrongly priced item under the Scanner Price Accuracy Code?, last=Edwards, first= Danielle, newspaper=

National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper and the flagship publication of the American-owned Postmedia Network. It is published Mondays through Saturdays, with Monday released as a digital e-edition only.

, date=20 November 2019, access-date=28 November 2021 {{cite web, url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/price-code-free-1.6263904, title=Attention shoppers: Overcharged for an item at checkout? You might be able to get it for free, last=Harris, first=Sophia, publisher=

, date=28 November 2021, access-date=28 November 2021 {{cite news, url=https://www.thestar.com/life/fashion_style/2009/10/14/did_the_store_overcharge_you_no_need_to_fume.html, title=Did the store overcharge you? No need to fume, last=Rempel, first=Shauna, newspaper=

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

, date=14 October 2009, access-date=28 November 2021 {{cite web, url=https://competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/vwapj/ct02380e.pdf/$file/ct02380e.pdf, title=Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code, publisher= Competition Bureau, date=2002, access-date=28 November 2021 {{cite news, url=https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/consumerwatch-scanner-price-accuracy-code-1.692857, title=Consumerwatch: Scanner price accuracy code, publisher=

CTV News CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name ''CTV News'' is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations (O&Os), which are closely tied to the nationa ...

Winnipeg, date=5 September 2011, access-date=28 November 2021

External links

Scanner Price Accuracy Code
at the Retail Council of Canada
Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code—Code of practice
at the Competition Bureau
Scanner price accuracy
at the Competition Bureau
Scanner Price Accuracy Code FAQs
at the Retail Council of Canada Consumer protection in Canada Retailing in Canada Retail pricing 2002 establishments in Canada