Here’s one way to reduce your grocery bill

For this week’s No More Ls column, we’re looking at grocery prices in Canada, and when to ensure you’re getting not only the best price, but the right price.

By Rob Csernyik

In this economy, my favourite flavour is often what’s cheapest. So, when I was shopping for yogurt and saw a full-sized container of raspberry cheesecake flavour for $1.99, it went in my cart. But at the checkout, it scanned for a few bucks more. Because I’m well-versed in the Scanner Price Accuracy Code (or SPAC for short), I knew this pricing error entitled me to a better bargain. In fact, I got it for free.

The SPAC prevents customers of participating stores from being charged a higher price at the register than they saw at the shelf. There’s no app to download, but you have to pay attention to what you’re buying and mention pricing errors to your cashier. In a nutshell—subject to a few conditions—items under $10 that aren’t individually priced and scan for more than the shelf price are free and items over that amount are $10 off. (In Quebec the break point is $15.) Yes, in many cases the item is free.

How does SPAC work?

The goal of the SPAC, honoured by 7,000-plus locations within more than 30 retail chains—including Canada’s three major grocers, discount stores like Giant Tiger and Walmart, and others like Canadian Tire and Home Depot—is to build consumer trust. The SPAC is administered by the Retail Council of Canada, and companies who participate do so voluntarily. “Incorrect prices can result in poor customer relations and legal sanctions,” says the RCC in the SPAC’s statement of intent.

The SPAC is a useful tool in a time of rising prices. Few of us can afford to pay more than we bargained for. Besides, many consumers choose to buy products based on the price we see. Even a small price increase over what’s on the shelf may lead us to nix the purchase or choose an alternative.

How often do pricing errors happen in Canada?

Research suggests about 4% of retail items scan for more than the shelf price, and though I’ve used the SPAC for much of my adult life (it’s been around under its prior name, Scanning Code of Practice, since 2002), it feels like I’m using it more than ever when shopping now.

Cassandra Marques, a.k.a. @BorderCityCouponer on Facebook and Instagram, is experiencing this, too—though on a grander scale. The mom of five from Southwestern Ontario posts pictures of her hauls on social media and estimates she has taken home about $20,000 worth of items through the code in the last year.

“I never leave Walmart without something for free with the Scanner Price Accuracy Code,” she says. Most recently, she scored a stockpile of mispriced nuts valued at about $300.

“We should be able to go in the store and trust that the prices are going to be correct and we're not going to be overcharged,” Marques says. “We shouldn’t have to look over our bills 100 times to make sure.”

Marques first learned about SPAC when she worked at Walmart and remembers being trained to honour it proactively. But customers usually have to bring the mispricing to their cashier’s attention and sometimes remind them of the policy. Luckily, for consumers, the details are posted near the cash at participating retailers.

Why are groceries not priced accurately?

Grocery consultant Richard Baker suspects part of the reason for more mispriced goods could be that there are more items on sale these days. Baker says just over 50% of all grocery products sold last year were on promotion—that means more, constantly-changing price tags. There’s also some confusion caused by increasing amounts of information on tiny shelf tags—like sale expiry dates, or prices that only apply to loyalty members or for volume discounts.

Don’t miss out on free or cheaper groceries

These caveats may change your behaviour, and can mean the price difference at the cash isn’t incorrect, according to the code. But if you don’t know about the code, you’ll miss out on many savings that you’re rightfully owed in the first place.

Marques says she’s finding fewer mistaken prices in her community these days, and sees her use of the code as helping other shoppers. “I’ve had store managers tell me that they have no problem with me using the scanner code because it keeps them accountable.”

My own SPAC hauls haven’t had the same ripple effect. A few days after my yogurt deal, I went back to the same store and the shelf tag hadn’t changed. I have no clue how many customers paid more than the shelf price without even realizing, but I made sure to grab another yogurt—on the house.

Rob Csernyik is an award-winning, full-time freelance journalist specializing in business and investigative reporting, as well as long-form features.