The competition watchdog will scrutinise supermarket unit pricing to ensure retailers are sticking to rules that help consumers accurately compare products.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has started to review unit pricing, which shows how much a particular product costs by weight or volume and helps shoppers choose the best value for money, following “concerns”.
It comes as grocery price inflation reached a record 16.7% in January, according to Kantar.
The CMA said consumers shopping for food and other essential products amid the rising cost of living “need confidence that they have the right information to make great choices and are getting fair deals”.
The CMA said it will consider whether issues identified in 2015 remain, if retailers are complying with the law and consumer awareness and use of unit pricing information.
George Lusty, senior director for consumer protection at the CMA, said: “We know that the increased cost of living has hit the pound in people’s pockets.
“That’s why we’re pressing on with this important grocery unit pricing work to ensure shoppers can more easily compare prices and make choices that are right for them.”
Sue Davies, head of food policy at consumer group Which?, said: “Grocery prices are a huge concern as households all over the country grapple with the cost-of-living crisis, so it’s timely and important for the CMA to be looking at whether prices are clearly and fairly displayed at the supermarket.
“We know poor, inconsistent and sometimes missing price information is a problem and that’s why Which? is campaigning for pricing transparency from supermarkets, so that shoppers can easily work out which products are the best value.”
