How supermarkets deceive customers through discounts - study

A study cited in the article shows that over 81% of shoppers in the past year have encountered a discrepancy between the promotional price on the shelf tag and the amount on the receipt. Complex promotion rules, including time limits, loyalty card requirements, and purchase conditions, often lead to discrepancies. About 75% of consumers buy unplanned items under the influence of discounts.

The article, based on data from the Ziarul Financiar portal, reports on a widespread problem of price discrepancies in supermarkets. According to the study, over 81% of shoppers in the past year have at least once discovered that the price at the checkout differs from the discounted price on the shelf tag, even when all promotion conditions are met. About one in four encounters this regularly. The authors note that discounts remain an effective tool: under their influence, about 75% of consumers buy items they did not initially plan to purchase. The situation is complicated by confusing promotion rules: time limits, the need to present a loyalty card or activate an offer in an app, conditions for purchasing a certain amount or under a '3 for 2' scheme. Representatives of retail chains explain the discrepancies not only by the complexity of the rules but also by the fact that shoppers may confuse the conditions of different stores' promotions or mistakenly look at the price tag of a neighboring product. The article does not contain specific examples of manipulation or data on the scale of the problem in Israel, referring to a general study.