Checking your receipts before leaving a store can pay off—literally.
If you discover you were overcharged for an item at checkout, you might be able to get it for free or receive a $10 discount, thanks to the Scanner Price Accuracy Code.
Canada’s Scanner Price Accuracy Code has been around since 2002, but many shoppers have never heard of it. Introduced that year when stores began regularly using barcodes and scanners, the voluntary code is managed by the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and has more than 7,000 retail stores as members, including large chains like Costco, Metro, and Walmart.
Under the code, if a product is less than $10 and is scanned incorrectly, you’ll get it for free. If a product that costs more than $10 is scanned incorrectly, you’ll receive $10 off the price of the product.
“We believe in the code. It’s a voluntary code because we want people to know we are committed to fair and accurate pricing,” Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers senior vice-president Gary Sands told CTV.
The code only applies to items that are scanned, not those with price tags. If you’re buying a ticketed item and the price doesn’t match up at check out, it can’t hurt to ask the retailer if you’re eligible for a discount.
According to a 2023 report from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, 67 percent of grocery shoppers notice a mistake on their receipt at least once every year.
Of those who do find mistakes, 75.8 percent said the scanned price of the item at checkout was not the same as the listed shelf price. A total of 15.2 percent of receipt checkers will find at least one mistake on their bill 25 percent of the time.
Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab director Sylvain Charlebois said with food prices increasing at record levels, consumers expect “an error-free experience” at the grocery store.
“Consumers need all the help they can get,” Mr. Charlebois said.
Grocery stores are not the only place you can take advantage of the code, however. Stores such as Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Toys R Us also adhere to the Scanner Price Accuracy Code.
