Online supermarkets agree to clearer pricing

By Alun Williams

Posted on 16 Mar 2006 at 16:05

Have you ever done your supermarket shopping online and found that the prices charged on delivery were different from those advertised on the website? If so, you are not alone, because the Office of Fair Trade (OFT) has been spurred to move following a number of complaints from the public.

Consulting with Asda (www.asda.co.uk), Sainsbury (www.sainsburytoyou.com), Tesco (www.tesco.com), Waitrose (www.waitrosedeliver.com) and Ocado (www.ocado.com), the OFT claims to have brokered an agreement whereby the online supermarkets promise to provide clearer pricing information. They have agreed to provide more upfront information about their guide price policies and how their online shopping process works.

Specifically, they have committed to the principle that the prices shown online are the actual prices for that day (in the store from which the goods will be assembled for delivery).

Also, according to the OFT, the supermarkets will have to ensure that special offer prices quoted online are treated as firm prices, applying to orders that are to be delivered in the offer period.

'We welcome the supermarkets' improvements to the information available to customers buying groceries online,' said OFT Chief Executive, John Fingleton. 'Customers have a right to clear and transparent information upfront when making their buying decisions.'

Note that Ocado - like Waitrose, a subsidiary of John Lewis - has also agreed to provide clearer information to customers about prices for catch-weight goods (i.e. goods sold by weight, for example bananas), where the price per unit of weight is fixed but weights delivered may not precisely match the order.