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Tesco pleads guilty in Clubcard-prices case

Tesco Ireland Limited has pleaded guilty to two sample counts of failing to comply with consumer-protection law in how it displayed the prices of products offered at a promotional price to Clubcard holders.

The case followed an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), which is responsible for enforcing consumer-protection law in Ireland.

Judge Anthony Halpin applied the Probation Act.

Tesco was ordered to pay the CCPC’s legal costs, as well as a donation of €1,000 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity.

Tesco had failed to include unit pricing on Tesco Clubcard promotional shelf-edge labels. The breaches were identified during a CCPC inspection in August 2023.

Unit pricing

“Consumers shopping for groceries have to quickly evaluate a wide range of factors when deciding what products offer the best value for their money,” the commission said, adding that supermarkets were legally required to show unit pricing to make the process easier for consumers.

“Displaying the price per kilo, litre, or metre allows consumers to compare the cost of similar products sold in different sizes. It also prevents consumers from being misled by packaging or discounts into paying more for less,” the CCPC stated.

The watchdog has urged consumers to check the unit prices when they shop and make a report to the CCPC where they are not provided.