Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP)

Did you know that if a major retailer scans your item for the incorrect price that you may qualify for a discount on that item?  Sometimes the store may give the item to you free simply because of the error!

Most major retailers in Canada follow a voluntary rule that’s called the Scanning Code of Practice.  According to the retail council, this is their definition:

1.1 On a claim being presented by the customer, where the scanned price of a product at checkout is higher than the price displayed in the store or than advertised by the store, the lower price will be honoured; and

(a) if the correct price of the product is $10 or less, the retailer will give the product to the customer free of charge; or
(b) if the correct price of the product is higher than $10, the retailer will give the customer a discount of $10 off the corrected price.

These are the stores that follow this practice:

• Shoppers Drug Mart
• The Groupe Jean Coutu (NB and Ont only)
• Lawton Drug Stores
• London Drugs
• Lovell Drugs
• Pharma-save (BC and Sask)
• Pharma Plus
• Canada Safeway Limited
• The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company of Canada Limited
• Loblaw Companies Limited
• Sobeys Inc.
• Metro Inc.
• Thrifty Foods
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
• Co-op Atlantic
• Federated Co-operatives Limited
• RCC Supporting Companies:
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
• The Home Depot Canada
• Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.
• Toys r Us
• Rona
• Wal*Mart Canada Corp.
• Giant Tiger Stores Ltd.
• The North West Company
• Best Buy/Future Shop
• 2 Home Hardware franchisees
• Thrifty Foods
• Overwaitea Food Group
• The Harry Watson Group
• Longos Brothers Fruit Markets
• + 1374 independent locations

So next time you’re shopping at one of the retailers listed above, make sure to watch the check out monitor like a hawk as you may be entitled to a discount if there is an error.  Even without the incentive, you should be watching the prices anyways as errors in pricing happen all the time, and usually not in the consumers favour!

From personal experience, I have used the scanning code of practice when buying groceries at Loblaws.  Have you used this rule to your advantage?  If so, with what store?

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Discount Brokerage Survey

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