Relates to requirements for unit pricing in certain retail stores

BILL NUMBER:S7277A

Title of bill

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to unit pricing

Purpose

To amend the unit pricing law to include chain stores with annual sales of consumer commodities in excess of $2.5 million.

Summary of provisions

This bill would amend the exemption provisions contained within the unit pricing law to require unit pricing disclosure in chain stores selling more than $2.5 million of consumer commodities per year.

Justification

The unit pricing law requires stores selling over $2.5 million per location per year of consumer commodities to disclose the price per measure as well as the retail selling price. This allows customers to comparison shop so as to find the best value.

Unit pricing is particularly important today because manufacturers of grocery items no longer sell products in standard sizes. Consumers are faced with a confusing array of packages for all kinds of products including coffee, ice cream, tuna fish, cosmetics, soaps and detergents and paper products. The unit pricing law provides the only real means a customer has to find the best value between brands and container sizes.

Consumer commodities covered under the pricing law include both human and pet food, paper products and food wrappings, soaps, detergents and other cleaning products, as well as non-prescription drugs and toiletries.

The Department of Agriculture and Markets reports receiving a number of consumer complaints regarding discount stores who sell significant amounts of consumer commodities, but claim to be exempt from the unit pricing requirements.

This bill would allow the Department to better enforce the law and respond more quickly to consumer complaints without having to conduct a financial audit of chain stores on a per location basis.

Prior legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This bill shall take effect on the 180th day after becoming a law.