Small shops seek exemption from draft unit pricing rules

Date: 09/11/1995

By Fiona McHugh

SMALL corner shops may win a derogation from new EU rules on unit pricing if a number of member states have their way.

A draft directive due to be discussed by consumer ministers this week would force all retailers to display the cost of goods per litre or kilo to allow customers to compare prices of rival products easily.

Several countries led by the UK, Germany and the Netherlands want small shops to be granted an open-ended exemption from the proposed rules. They argue that double pricing would cost more than small retailers could afford and take up precious space which they cannot spare.

“These measures are, quite simply, too costly,” explained one diplomat.

The draft proposal, as it stands, says that unit pricing must be used by large retailers from 1997 and by small retailers from 2001.

“If small shops are unable to unit price in 1997 because the cost is too great, or because they are short on space, then they will be unable to comply in 2001. They are not going to grow any bigger or make more money,” said the diplomat.

The fact that the UK and Ireland are still phasing out imperial measures further complicates the issue.

British and Irish shopkeepers currently display most prices in both kilos and pounds, in order to help customers gradually adjust to the European metric system. Under these new rules, they would be forced to show four different prices in some cases.

Metrication has met with strong public resistance in both countries and ministers are unlikely to want to rub salt into open wounds.

Some countries are also likely to seek a later starting date for the proposal, to give them more time to transpose and implement the new laws.

The current regime, which expires at the end of 1996, gives retailers the option of displaying unit prices, or using standard packages: samesized packages used by all producers of a given product. Most opted for the latter.