Tesco pleads guilty to Clubcard price display breaches

Tesco Ireland Limited has pleaded guilty to two sample counts of failing to comply with consumer protection law in how they displayed the price of products offered at a promotional price to its Clubcard holders.

Tesco was ordered yesterday to pay the legal costs of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and a donation of €1,000 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity.

The case follows an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), which is responsible for enforcing and promoting compliance with consumer protection law here.

It found that Tesco broke the law by failing to include unit pricing on Tesco Clubcard promotional shelf-edge labels. The breaches were identified during a CCPC inspection in August 2023.

The CCPC said that shoppers have to quickly evaluate a wide range of factors when deciding what products offer the best value for their money.

Supermarkets are legally required to show unit pricing to make that process easier for consumers.

Displaying the price per kilo, litre or metre allows consumers to compare the cost of similar products sold in different sizes, the CCPC said.

It also prevents consumers from being misled by packaging or discounts into paying more for less, it added.

Tesco last night said it introduced unit pricing for Clubcard prices in February this year.