• Special offers on products from the leaflet, a discount on the entire basket, cheaper prices for bulk purchases. Several bargains in a single shopping trip? It has to be clear.
• The President of UOKiK has examined how the Biedronka and Lidl retail chains present information on discounts applied on checkout screens and receipts.
• As a result of the intervention, the retailers have changed practices that could have misled consumers.

UOKiK received reports from consumers highlighting difficulties in verifying discounts while shopping. Complicated promotional schemes, illegible price labels, the need to activate vouchers in mobile apps, or the requirement to select additional products do not make it easy to navigate the maze of offers. The way information is presented regarding promotions, combined offers, and discounts from electronic vouchers can be misleading, and determining whether all discounts have been correctly applied is difficult. The President of UOKiK examined how the Biedronka and Lidl retail chains display information about discounts on self-service checkout screens, traditional checkouts, and receipts.

Mysteries at the checkout

The analysis showed that customers of both chains may have struggled to understand which promotion had been applied to their bill before paying. In the case of Biedronka, information about discounts was displayed collectively on the checkout screen, rather than for each individual product scanned that was part of a promotion. Lidl, on the other hand, listed several special offers under the same heading, and the information about the discounts was ambiguous. Such practices effectively made it difficult to distinguish the source of a specific discount and its amount. This is confirmed by consumer complaints:

“If I buy 10 products, five of which are on offer, the total discount for all five products is shown at the bottom of the receipt. And now it’s up to me to remember at the till what the promotion terms were, what the promotional price was, what the difference is compared to the regular price shown on my receipt, and whether the total of the five discounts matches my receipt.”

As the author of the report rightly pointed out: “It shouldn’t be this complicated. It’s not right. If there’s a promotion, I want to see the promotional price on the receipt, not have to play the role of a detective-mathematician at the checkout.”

Unclear combinations of offers

Similar ambiguities arose when several types of promotion were combined, such as a special offer price from a leaflet and a discount for spending a certain amount. The way in which retailers displayed discounts on checkout screens and receipts did not allow consumers to determine whether all prices had been calculated correctly. This refers to situations in which, instead of applying a discount to a specific promotional product each time, e.g. 15 per cent off, and then offering a further discount of, say, PLN 20 off the total purchase price, customers were informed of a proportional reduction in the amount due for each item on the bill. As a result, they were unable to verify the type of discount, its amount or the product prices against the information provided on shop shelves, in leaflets or on the mobile app. The total value of the discounts granted was also missing from the shopping summary. Customers of both retail chains may have encountered such practices.

– Promotions must be clear and understandable, without a multitude of conditions and exclusions. Clear and unambiguous pricing information is key. Scanning items from the basket at the checkout is the final moment to decide whether to make a purchase. Consumers deserve the opportunity to easily verify the type, number, and amount of discounts applied before paying for their purchases. This is particularly important when shops run multiple price promotions simultaneously, arising from different promotional schemes and mechanisms – says Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

Biedronka and Lidl are changing their practices

The companies submitted their proposed solutions to the President of UOKiK, which will ensure the clarity of the promotions applied. As a result, Jeronimo Martins Polska has implemented a new method of displaying prices for scanned purchases. This provides consumers with clearer and more transparent information on the type and amount of discounts applied to specific products and in the final bill. Lidl has also introduced positive changes to the way discounts are displayed on checkout screens.

Given the high volatility of retail chains’ marketing strategies and discount policies, UOKiK will continue to monitor how information on price promotions is communicated – whether on checkout screens, receipts, in-store displays, advertisements, or mobile apps. In addition to its own monitoring and analysis, feedback from consumers is of great importance. Reports describing incidents, accompanied by photographs or videos, help in the effective fight against unfair business practices.

Consumers, please remember!

• Please read the terms and conditions of the promotion.
• When scanning a product at the checkout, please check that the promotional price has been applied correctly.
• Ask a member of staff for assistance if the expected discount has not been applied as advertised.
• If there is a discrepancy at the till compared to the shelf price, you will be charged the price that is more favourable to you.
• You have the right to make a complaint.
• Have you noticed any irregularities? Please let us know at: uokik@uokik.gov.pl. Please describe the incident; a photo or video may also be helpful.