Overcharged at Checkout? Canada’s Scanner Price Accuracy Code

Next time you reach the checkout and an item scans at the wrong price, a little-known policy could get you a discount—or even the item for free. Below is a clear, practical guide to the Scanner Price Accuracy Code: how it works, what it covers, where it applies and what to do if a retailer won’t honor it.

What is the Scanner Price Accuracy Code?

The Scanner Price Accuracy Code is a voluntary consumer protection policy introduced in 2002 to give shoppers recourse when an item rings up at the wrong price. Often called the Scanning Code of Practice, it is backed by industry groups including the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada. Participating retailers agree to follow the code’s procedures when pricing errors occur at the register.

How it works

Under the code, the remedy depends on the item’s advertised price. If a scanned item is advertised for less than $10 but rings up incorrectly, the purchaser should receive that item free of charge. When buying multiple identical items that scan incorrectly, the first item is free and any additional units must be sold at the correct advertised price.

For items advertised at more than $10, the code requires the retailer to reduce the price by $10 for the first mispriced item. If you purchase additional identical items in the same transaction, those subsequent items must be charged at the correct advertised price.

To claim the benefit, customers should alert the cashier or visit customer service and point out the discrepancy. Store staff trained on the code will apply the appropriate correction at the register or by adjusting the sale.

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What it applies to

The code applies only to items that are scanned using a barcode (UPC) or a Price Look-Up (PLU) code. A UPC is the standard 12-digit barcode used on most packaged goods, while PLUs—usually four or five digits—identify bulk produce and similar loose items.

Items priced by weight are excluded from the code. For example, loose apples sold by the pound are not covered when their price is revealed at the register; however, a pre-packaged bag of apples with a barcode would be covered under the code.

The code also does not apply to merchandise with a physical price attached to it: sale or clearance stickers on items, percentage-off tags, clothing hang tags or sewn-in price labels, and printed price labels on electronics or books. Government-regulated products such as tobacco and alcohol, as well as prescription drugs and certain items kept behind the counter, are also excluded.

Where it applies

The Scanner Price Accuracy Code is in effect across most of Canada but is not universal. Some provinces or territories have their own consumer protection laws—Quebec, for example, has legislation that addresses mispriced goods—so the code is primarily used where it complements existing rules.

The code applies only at retailers that have signed on to the program. Major Canadian retailers that participate include Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Costco, Giant Tiger, Loblaw Cos. Ltd., Metro, Rona, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys, Home Depot Canada and Walmart Canada.

When shopping, look for signage at store entrances or ask a staff member whether the store participates in the Scanner Price Accuracy Code. If a sales flyer or promotion explicitly lists participating locations, the code applies only at those listed stores. If no locations are specified, the flyer is generally assumed to be valid across all the chain’s stores and the code would apply at participating locations.

An important caveat

Retailers may set reasonable limits on how many items in a single transaction the code will cover. This helps prevent abuse, such as people searching every aisle for mispriced items and sharing those errors online so others can repeat the practice before prices are corrected.

Retailers retain the right to refuse code benefits if they determine a customer is acting in bad faith or attempting to exploit pricing mistakes beyond the intended purpose of consumer protection.

FAQs

Can the code help me when a product is left on the wrong shelf with a lower price?
No. The Scanner Price Accuracy Code applies only when the scanned product matches the shelf label. If the item is displayed incorrectly and the shelf price does not correspond to that product, the code does not apply.

Does the code cover loyalty or membership discounts such as PC Optimum or Triangle Rewards?
No. Loyalty-program pricing and member-only discounts are separate from the Scanner Price Accuracy Code and are not covered by it.

What should I do if a retailer won’t apply the code?
If a store declines to honor the code, you can complete an online complaint form with the organizations that oversee the program. Valid complaints are reviewed and shared with the retailer, and many disputes are resolved through that process.

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