Shopping for groceries can be a tedious process, with shoppers often concentrating on the items they need to grab in the bustling supermarket aisles.

But one eagle-eyed shopper is urging Aussies to pay more attention to an important and often overlooked detail on product packaging that could mean the difference between saving and wasting money.

The Coles shopper shared on social media how he had noticed that supermarkets might be engaging in ‘funny business’ with the comparative pricing information displayed on shelves–specifically, the unit price.

In a video he posted, the man used the example of toilet paper rolls to demonstrate why careful shoppers should pay attention to the details. He compared a pack of six Kleenex toilet rolls and a pack of six Quilton toilet rolls, which had the same number of rolls but different unit prices.

The shopper said that the toilet rolls did not account for the price per size of sheet. Image: TikTok / @immfiqmcu5

'Look at the unit pricing, though,' the man said.

He then goes on to explain: '58 cents per 100 sheets at $6.30, and over here we’ve got 60 cents per 100 sheets at $6.50. This one [the second, Quilton pack] is just 20 cents more, but you would think that this [the Kleenex pack] represents better value, I mean, you’re getting the same number of rolls, but you’re getting it for 20 cents less.'

'Well wrong,' he continued, before explaining why: 'This one here [the Kleenex pack] is 10 centimetres by 10 centimetres sheets, and this one over here [the Quilton pack] is 11-centimetre by 10-centimetre sheets, meaning that this particular product carries...more volume, more product than this particular product over here.'

This differential explains a 10 per cent increase in toilet paper sheets that can be acquired for just an additional 20 cents.

'Here is a very good example for you that unit pricing doesn’t always reflect what you’re getting,' he told his followers.

The post has caused an online commotion, with some people praising the man’s attention to detail, while others insisted that shoppers look at 'per sheet' pricing for the complete picture.

‘I’m glad somebody else is seeing this,’ one person said while another referred to other shelves’ price discrepancies. ‘Have a look in the spice aisle and see how inconsistent the unit pricing is per 10g, per 100g and per kg all mixed together,’ another wrote.

However, for others, the thought seemed too trivial. ‘People use sheets, not length,’ one commenter said. ‘It’s best written per sheet and far more useful. People are just looking at being mad at things.’

It may be more useful to compare the quality of the products than mere sheets of toilet paper. Image: Freepik

Professor Nitika Garg from the School of Marketing at the University of New South Wales said she appreciated the point of the shopper, but supermarkets are trying to be transparent with the price tag information.

'Yes, overall, you're getting more paper probably with the Kleenex, but it's how the product is also used,' Professor Garg said when asked about the deceptive practices of supermarkets.

If you’re wondering how unit pricing works, you may want to read this story.

Professor Garg advised members to look at the unit price for whatever they’re buying—whether it's flour, sugar, spices, or fruits–because it is 'very difficult to always assess by the package what the price is.'

You can watch the shopper’s full video below:

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Key Takeaways

• A Coles shopper has sparked an online debate after highlighting an allegedly misleading aspect of comparative unit pricing for toilet rolls.
• He pointed out on social media that while the Kleenex pack cost less, the Quilton pack was slightly larger per sheet, leading to a volume increase of 10 per cent.
• His post attracted a variety of responses, with some applauding his vigilance and others arguing that product use played a larger role than slight variations in size.
• Professor Nitika Garg from the University of New South Wales School of Marketing made the point that marketers aren't trying to deceive consumers; rather, unit pricing helps consumers compare products but is not always straightforward.

It’s worth mentioning that Coles offers a Service Guarantee to its Coles brand products, which states that if you are not happy with something you’ve bought in-store or online, you are entitled to a refund or replacement!

What are your thoughts on this story, members? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[Leenie]

Who cares ,it still does the same thing ,the little difference isn’t going to effect what’s used for, now it would be different if there were less sheets in the roll the we could complain