Law on prices by weight has been left on shelf
People living in Malta have spent 10 years deprived of a consumer right which empowers them to compare prices.
According to an EU directive dating back to 1998, products should not only be displayed with their price but also their unit price.
The unit price is defined as the price for one kilogram, one litre, one metre, one square metre or one cubic metre of the goods.
For example, fruit and vegetables are usually sold by unit price calculated on weight. But the prices of pre-packaged goods, such as olive oil or jam, are rarely accompanied by their unit price, making it harder for consumers to compare between different brands and amount variations.
The EU directive on price indications, which was introduced to Maltese law in 2002, stipulates that the unit price be used for nearly all products.
But the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority only plans to start enforcing the law next March, after consultation and more than 10 years after the law was introduced.
Meanwhile, the Maltese law only refers to “pre-packaged goods, including foodstuffs, sold in pre-established or variable quantities” – an interpretation the Consumers’ Association disagrees with.
In fact, the Consumers’ Association has written to the European Commission to report the Maltese authorities.
The association said it was “unacceptable” for the authority to open a consultation period 10 years after the law was introduced.
It also said that the law should be amended to better reflect the EU directive and not limit the use of unit prices to pre-packaged goods.
“By way of example, we have been insisting that the price of bread should also display the unit price (price per kilogram) rather than simply displaying the final price. The MCCAA has been arguing that the legal notice only requires that the final price should be displayed and does not require that the unit price be also displayed.”
Only Lidl outlets were obeying the unit price indicators, according to association president Benny Borg Bonello. They did so even when it came to bread, he added.
Some pre-packed food, like cheese, is sometimes also displayed with the unit price, but many times it is written in such a small font that it is barely legible, he said. Questioned about the Consumers’ Association’s complaints, Consumers Minister Jason Azzopardi said the consultation period was not intended to re-open discussion on the regulation but to meet stakeholders and understand how the implementation of this regulatory regime will affect small outlets.
“All retail outlets would have to work out and exhibit the unit pricing (price per kg, or price per litre etc) of all the items in the shop/outlet. MCCAA will be meeting also wholesalers as it prefers that these unit prices will be provided by the wholesaler themselves wherever possible.”
The MCCAA was set up last year and the issue of unit pricing was one of the major priorities. EU funds have been obtained to carry out an awareness campaign.
Dr Azzopardi refused to say whether the laws had to be improved, saying only that the process had been initiated for all sectors to be in line with current regulations.
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Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)
Nov 26th 2012, 17:53
What about eggs that are marked as medium or large but so small they rattle in their boxes?
Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)
Nov 26th 2012, 17:49
My local shop charged me nearly €4 for a packet of frozen sliced bell-peppers that had a big £1 price on the packet. The manager expected me to believe that £1stg was nearly the same as €4.
In this shop, frequently, exhibited shelf prices [when you can find them, since they are often displaced] don't match the till price.
Is this poor management or abuse?
mark johnson
Nov 26th 2012, 20:05
Is the price difference ever in the customers' favour?
Michael Bonello
Nov 26th 2012, 17:17
I just cannot understand the price of fresh fish sold here in Malta it is sold by the quarter!! Quarter of the old rotlo = 800 gm = 200 gm or quarter of a Kg = 1000 gm = 250 gm
Joseph Izzo Clarke
Nov 26th 2012, 17:10
This links explains what is the position at law in these situations. It explains clearly what are the possible remedies despite the lack of national legislation. The consumer associations in Malta might want to look into the matter:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/institutional_affairs/decisionmaking_process/l14547_en.htm
Mr CHARLIE BORG
Nov 26th 2012, 17:02
Tiftakruhom tal-kontroll ?????
A M Bonello
Nov 26th 2012, 16:35
We need more fairly priced European supermarkets in this country.We need to pay the same prices Europeans are paying!
Some supermarkets here are selling items that have UK prices on them that when converted to the EURO doesn't make sense.
Why are we constantly being ripped off in this country!?
Steve Elliott
Nov 26th 2012, 16:51
welcome to the club. its a three price tier in malta. one price for locals, another for tourists and if your maltese visiting gozo yet another price.
V Mercieca
Nov 26th 2012, 16:31
Most are commenting on the Maltese bread. In my childhood days I remember a loaf of approximately 800 gr (ratal). Today you get a loaf of less than 600 gr, but the prices always went up and up on a loaf that is supposed to be 800 gr.
Peter Bonello
Nov 26th 2012, 16:53
what do you expect, really?? Bread makers don't get their ingredients and fuel and all other expenses for the same amount as they did 10 or 20 or 50 years ago. If one thing goes up, everything must reflect that cost rise!! Basic economics (which is why the plea to increase minimum wage does not make sense!).
Giov DeMartino
Nov 26th 2012, 16:55
I have been complaining about the weight of a loaf for many, many years. It is all waste of time!
J.C. Borg
Nov 26th 2012, 18:25
When Mintoff was our Prime Minister, he forbid the bakers from increasing the price of bread. The bakers told him that if he wants them to keep the same price he should forget about the weight of the loaf. And it had been so since then.
david alamango
Nov 26th 2012, 19:08
just buy two loaves and you have more than 800gr...
as regards price...do you want a salary from your childhood days>??
saviour frendo
Nov 26th 2012, 15:51
commenting on weights how about bread? price of bread always going up but going rapidly down in weight.
good old days when we brought bread by the Ratal (old unit of weight-for the young ones) and the baker would add an extra piece to make up for the actual loaf weight.....THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND...LA LA LA LA LA LA
P Sciberras
Nov 26th 2012, 15:46
Can somebody explain why the weight of a Maltese loaf of bread is calculated before it is baked and not when you actually buy it. If you notice the size of a loaf of Maltese bread keeps getting smaller and smaller,but you cannot complain as the answer is: the weight was the actual weight before it was baked.
X Borg
Nov 26th 2012, 18:55
I really doubt if the weight was the actual weight before it was baked. It just keeps getting smaller.
I guess its Bakers way of caring for our health.
Francis Bonello
Nov 26th 2012, 15:32
Il-konsumatur qieghed hemm biex ihallas u jgerru biss....qatt me jiehu azzjoni.
R. Balzan
Nov 26th 2012, 15:21
Why all this hullabaloo? Like everything else this law will be taken care of before the election.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Nov 26th 2012, 15:13
The present regulation are "The Sky is the limit" and if one argues ! Who made this fantastic discovery?
I hope its not a Back Bencher tas soltu?
We are talking about 1998, why staire the silt now?
This is another blow to GONZIPN... Daqgha tal Mewt...
Ninu
john davies
Nov 26th 2012, 14:59
You shouldn’t allow customers to see the true cost of the items,
they'll be able to work out how the pricing scam works !!!
Next, you’ll be wanting honest politicians …then where would we be !!!
J Martinelli
Nov 26th 2012, 14:42
I find it an oddity when on TV shopping, comparison to the Maltese lira still goes on! Why?
With regard to unit prices, law or no law, calculation in metric is so very simple! If one knows the price per Kg, then moving the decimal point once to the left will give the price per 100 gr and so on.(1.68/Kg = .168/100gr).When it comes to fluids, the same applies except instead of gr you have mL.
Mr C Galea
Nov 26th 2012, 14:32
where does one start with all the laws that the maltese do not care about nor do they inted ever to follow and of course that also applies to the maltese goverment as well? malta may have joined the e u but only on paper , the rest is sad inddeed, however the good side is this , so be it.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Nov 26th 2012, 14:24
On the shelf to gather dust togther with the laws promised before last election about party financing and the whistleblowers act. Obviously not convenient for GonziPN.
Giov DeMartino
Nov 26th 2012, 17:14
I still have in my possession copies of letters which I used to send to labour ministers who were in charge of consumers' affrairs when labour were in office before 1987. And I also have in my possession letters from a certain Jimmy Magro who was an official of l-Ghaqda tal-konsumaturi or something similar. Gonzipn was probably still a student.
Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)
Nov 26th 2012, 14:12
In Greece, everything edible is weighed at point of sale. I was surprised to see them weigh everything from cupcakes to avocados
Good idea when I think of the tiny, dehydrated, fungus-blackened cauliflowers I saw on display in a prominent Bugibba shop. You wouldn't see that in old blighty... not on market stalls much less in supermarkets Past their sell-by date obviously.
Peter Murray
Nov 26th 2012, 09:39
Current regulations are in fact 10 years old and before the MCCAA came to be we had the CCD who should have enforced this law.Typical lax and laissez -faire response to ensuring Consumer Law is enforced.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Nov 26th 2012, 13:29
This is similar to the Whistleblowers Act. It will be enacted after the elections so any adverse protestations would be suffered by the new Government. It is good to note that an international chain of grocers have practised this consumer friendly way of doing business since the first day they set up shop in Malta.
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