Abbreviated as SCOP. This is a voluntary code that retailers may or may not participate. Most large retailers will be participants. It is there to protect you the customer.
If a store is a member they are not obliged to tell you the customer. And they won’t. In fact the cashiers are trained to deceive you. You must know this code and ask for it. They will sometimes still reject your claim.
First let me explain its origin. When stores began using bar codes there had to be a way to ensure the customer paid the advertised price. In other words the pricing in their computers had to be current.
The stores in turn were saving an enormous amount of money because they didn’t have to pay people to change the stickers on every item when they have their weekly sales. It is supposed to work like this. You are covered for the first ten dollars. If the price doesn’t match you get it for free. Now of course the price difference has to be in their favour. Here’s what happens when you tell the cashier. They will say oh that’s no problem. Just a mistake and I will correct your bill. Remember they are trained in SCOP. It is mandatory if a store participates. You have to correct them and say no that is SCOP or similar. Most cashiers will just say OK and honour the code or they will call for a supervisor and get it authorised. I have still had resistance and have seen some of the tricks they are using. One store had the code posted in an inconspicuous place and it was ripped and crumpled with parts missing. When I asked for the code for the lady ahead of me in line, the cashier said it did not apply to food items. A clear lie. Everything in their store is covered.
But I never argue with the cashier. You see they have broken the law. You can call SCOP and it will be handled for you. I like to give them a chance. I called head office for a large chain of supermarkets and told them one of their managers had refused me an item. She asked me did he give a reason. I said yes, he told me it would come out of his pocket. Well that was all she needed to hear. I wasn’t lying to her, that was his actual excuse. I received a phone call from the manager by the end of the day with a full apology and to come into the store for a full refund and a ten dollar gift certificate for my troubles. Another trick I have seen is where they were advertising 1 kg. pies for 5.99. They only had 1.1 kg pies on the shelf for 6.99. When confronted they said all they could do is price match. I said I didn’t want to argue and would pay but I wanted her to acknowledge that I had asked for SCOP and she had refused.
I called head office the next day and got it straightened out. It turns out the pies were actually only 1kg and their excuse was the printer in their bakery was set incorrectly. They had of course been selling the higher priced pies for 4 days out of a 7 day sale. The manager handed me two free pies for my trouble. I can understand the stores’ resistance as store employees are not allowed to use SCOP for their own purchases.
People are also taking advantage of it and trying to get free items. In stores that have scanners in the aisles people have been known to walk around with a flyer scanning for items that they know they can get for free at the cash. I say they should get the item for free. They are performing the job of mystery shopper and keeping the stores honest. They need to be paid for the services they are providing to you.
Another word on some of the prominent places I have seen the code posted in stores. On the automatic door as you enter at knee level. Under the plexiglass at the counter where you place your purchases on top of. In the front window above and below eye level and other such obscure places. Even if you were to read the sign it wouldn’t tell you much. It doesn’t explain the code, it only says the store will honour it. Again it is up to you to know. It will be easier to find the comments and complaint box.
There should be leaflets at the checkout to educate the public on this stuff. Look at your local store and see if you can find it. Ask the manager if you don’t see it. I have written this to inform but also as a microcosm of how we are being deceived by ommission on a daily basis in all things great and small. The legal term for this is fraud.
This is Canadian law and may not apply in your country. The purpose of this article is not to diminish low paid and often young workers. They are also victims as companies impose non disclosure agreements on employees and call it company policy. Workers know what types of things will get them fired. All professions and types of employment have non disclosure agreements even if it is not on paper.
The real purpose of this article is to show that companies will force my neighbours kid to lie to me for ten dollars. What does my neighbour have to compromise to his family and friends to keep his bills paid. This is part of a larger picture and it is up to us to keep vigil.