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ALDI slammed for 'backwards step' on price tags


ALDI is being criticised over shrinking fonts on its price tags.

Consumer group Choice claims the supermarket giant has “taken a backwards step” by reducing the size of its unit pricing font.

Choice provided two examples showing how ALDI has shrunk the font size on in-store price tags.

The picture on the right – featuring a new label – shows Arnott’s Mint Slice 200g biscuits at $2.49 with the unit price in a smaller font reading “$1.25 per 100g”.

Consumer group Choice claims ALDI has been shrinking unit pricing on their tags making it harder for customers to compare prices. Source: Choice
Consumer group Choice claims ALDI has been shrinking unit pricing on their tags making it harder for customers to compare prices. Source: Choice

Compared with the previous label, the font appears significantly smaller and more difficult to read.

“These new labels do not help shoppers compare prices, and are especially challenging for people with low vision,” Choice wrote.

Source: Getty/Stock
Source: Getty/Stock

Unit pricing allows shoppers to compare pricing based on the volume of whichever product they are looking at purchasing.

Shoppers can, for example, compare what value they are getting on laundry detergent per mililitre.

According to the ACCC, retailers must follow a unit pricing code with the unit price “prominent” and easy to see for shoppers along with “legible”.

In a statement to Yahoo7, ALDI said it’s been phasing in new in-store price card printers which are now in 75 per cent of its stores.

“We have no interest in minimising this information,” ALDI said.

“We are extremely proud of our price leadership and only want to provide clear and honest information to our customers.

“We are disappointed that some people have suggested that we would engage in activity to deceive our customers.”

ALDI added it will “actively seek customer feedback” to ensure the new approach to label pricing isn’t confusing to its customers.