Avoid Scan Scams: 6 Smart Ways to Catch Grocery Pricing Errors

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ height=”80px” height_tablet=”80px” height_phone=”60px” height_last_edited=”on|phone” max_height=”80px” max_height_tablet=”80px” max_height_phone=”80px” max_height_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||-100px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_module=”3203″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”90%” height=”80px” height_tablet=”80px” height_phone=”60px” height_last_edited=”on|phone” max_height=”80px” max_height_tablet=”80px” max_height_phone=”80px” max_height_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_code disabled_on=”on|off|off” admin_label=”AdSense Top Banner” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”-15px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||| ” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”||| “][et_pb_divider color=”#e5e5e5″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ height=”0px” custom_margin=”0px||10px” custom_padding=”0px||0px” global_module=”339″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” height__hover_enabled=”on” height__hover=”0px”][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Post Title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ title_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” title_text_color=”#246c21″ title_font_size=”48px” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”||||false|true” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”15px||||false|true” title_text_color_tablet=”#246c21″ title_text_color_phone=”#246c21″ title_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” title_font_size_tablet=”” title_font_size_phone=”36px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_module=”2463″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704A” admin_label=”Article Description” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”||on||||||” text_text_color=”#595959″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.3em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_text_color=”#00704A” header_2_font_size=”32px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_text_color=”#00704A” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”-20px|||” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_text_color_tablet=”#00704A” header_2_text_color_phone=”#00704A” header_2_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”32px” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_module=”1364″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-e17b83ed-74fc-4d3a-a1e9-e893f996498c%22:%91%22header_text_color_phone%22,%22header_text_color_tablet%22,%22header_2_text_color%22%93}”]

Are grocery store scanning mistakes costing you money? These tips will help you spot when items ring up incorrectly at checkout so you can correct errors and save.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Author” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#4c4c4c” text_line_height=”1em” header_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#336699″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_module=”1360″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

by Andrea Norris-McKnight

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9mZWF0dXJlZF9pbWFnZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7fX0=@” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”src” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” height=”100%” animation_style=”zoom” hover_enabled=”0″ always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_module=”1362″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”outside” ul_position_phone=”outside” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Article Text and Headers” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_font=”||||on||||” link_text_color=”#782639″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#246c21″ header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#246c21″ header_2_font_size=”34px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#246c21″ header_3_font_size=”26px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||4px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”32px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”1205″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Have you ever gotten home from the grocery store only to find you were charged full price for two items that should have been buy one, get one free? Or that your coupons didn’t apply? Few things frustrate a careful shopper more than realizing you didn’t get the savings you expected — or that you paid more than you should have.

Earlier this year, several stores were fined for price scanning errors and overcharging customers. Retailers often point to staffing shortages or timing issues during sale cycles. Large chains have also faced lawsuits alleging scanned prices sometimes exceed shelf prices by noticeable percentages.

While current nationwide totals for losses from scanning errors are hard to pin down, past estimates put annual consumer losses in the billions. The good news is there are practical steps you can take to reduce the chance you’ll be overcharged.

Here are six straightforward tips to help you catch pricing mistakes at checkout.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”outside” ul_position_phone=”outside” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”TOC” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_text_color=”#0018f7″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#000000″ header_2_font_size=”32px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#00704a” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” background_color=”#FFFFFF” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|||20px|false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” border_radii=”on|5px|5px|5px|5px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#e8e8e8″ global_module=”84546″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Note sale items and BOGOs.
Ensure shelf stickers are with the correct items.
Pay close attention to price-per-pound items.
Confirm sale prices of impulse purchases.
Avoid distractions while checking out.
Check your receipt before leaving the store.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”Ad Sense Inline Top” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ text_orientation=”center” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_module=”1200″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_code][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”outside” ul_position_phone=”outside” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Article Text and Headers” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_font=”||||on||||” link_text_color=”#782639″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#246c21″ header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#246c21″ header_2_font_size=”34px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#246c21″ header_3_font_size=”26px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||4px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”32px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”1205″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

6 Tips for Spotting Costly Grocery Pricing Errors During Checkout

Shopping in person makes it harder to track every sticker price, especially when your cart is full. You rarely write down every shelf price, so a few simple habits will help you catch the most common and costly mistakes.

Below are practical, easy-to-follow tips to help you avoid being overcharged.

1. Note sale items and BOGOs.

Know which items in your cart are on sale or part of a buy-one-get-one offer. These items are the most likely to ring up incorrectly, especially during the first day of a store’s sale cycle when price changes may not be fully updated.

If your store’s app highlights sale items, use it to create a list. Otherwise, jot down the sale prices or sizes for items you plan to buy so you can confirm the discount at checkout.

2. Ensure store shelf stickers are with the correct items.

Occasionally a shelf tag is misplaced or left behind when a product is out of stock and replaced by a different size or flavor. That can make you grab the wrong item or expect a different price than the one that scans.

Always check that the shelf label matches the item and size you put in your cart. If possible, note the size or unit price of sale items when you shop.

3. Pay close attention to price-per-pound items.

Errors on per-pound pricing for meat, produce or bulk items can add up. Before you buy, have a sense of the per-pound sale price so you can spot obvious mismatches at the register.

4. Confirm sale prices of impulse purchases.

When you toss a temptation into your cart, check the shelf tag for the current sale price. Old tags are sometimes left in place after a promotion ends, so noting the price prevents surprises at checkout.

5. Avoid distractions while checking out.

Watch the register screen as items are scanned, or use self-checkout if available. It’s easy to miss a missed coupon or an incorrectly scanned item if you’re checking your phone or talking while the cashier scans.

Some stores let you scan items with their app as you shop; this lets you compare scanned prices to shelf tags in real time and often speeds up checkout.

6. Check your receipt before leaving the store.

After you pay, step aside and review your receipt. Confirm sale prices, coupons and discounts were applied correctly. If you receive an electronic receipt, open it on your phone and verify the totals before you leave.

If something is wrong, ask the store to correct the error while you are still there — most retailers will fix pricing mistakes quickly if you point them out promptly.

Remain Scan Vigilant Wherever You Shop

Pricing mistakes can happen at any retailer, not just grocery stores. Pay attention to shelf tags, sale details and register prices wherever you shop. Retailers generally don’t intend to overcharge customers, but staying alert ensures you don’t pay for their mistakes.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related Bulleted List” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#494949″ text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.4em” link_font=”|600|||||||” link_text_color=”#782639″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_text_color=”#000000″ ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”2133″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

About the Author

Andrea Norris-McKnight is the editor of The Dollar Stretcher and After 50 Finances, succeeding the site’s founder after nearly 15 years on staff. She has contributed to Money.com, GOBankingRates, HavenLife and The Sacramento Bee.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Subscribe TDS” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”|0px||0px||true” custom_padding=”|5px||12px” border_radii=”on|5px|5px|5px|5px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#b7b7b7″ border_style_all=”none” global_module=”1559″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”MyFinance 3X2″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ global_module=”1161″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||| ” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”||| “][et_pb_sidebar orientation=”right” area=”et_pb_widget_area_2″ admin_label=”Sidebar Top” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ header_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_orientation=”left” custom_margin=”10px||||false|true” border_style_all=”none” global_module=”1690″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_sidebar][et_pb_image src=”https://thedollarstretcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/food-tips-600-X-300.jpg” url=”/book-shop/dollar-stretcher-tips-food/” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” admin_label=”Food Tips Book RR” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_style=”bounce” global_module=”20468″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_type=”circle” admin_label=”Popular Articles TDS” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_2_font=”|700|||||||” width=”90%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|||10px|false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#d3d3d3″ global_module=”20443″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

On After50Finances.com

9 Things You Need to Do Before You Retire
You Didn’t Save Enough for Retirement and You’re 55+
When Empty Nesters Reorganize and Declutter Their Home
Reinventing Your Career in Your 50s or 60s
What Mature Homeowners Should Know about Reverse Mortgages
2 Reasons to Collect Social Security Benefits As Soon As Possible

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Table of Contents