Price Marking: A Checklist for What Your Shop Must Display
Which goods need a visible price, when is a unit price required and what about the shop window? A checklist based on Trading Standards guidance.
A clear price is one of the simplest ways to earn a shopper’s trust, and in many cases it is also a legal requirement. This checklist summarises the Price Marking Order 2004 as explained in the Business Companion guide for traders, which is produced for Trading Standards. It covers goods sold in England and is general information, so check with your local Trading Standards service if you are unsure.
1. Goods need a selling price
The guide says goods offered for retail sale must show the selling price and, where relevant, the unit price, in writing. That covers shops, catalogues and online listings. The requirement applies to goods only, not to services or to goods supplied as part of a service.
2. Make the price easy to read
Prices must be clear, legible, easy to identify and in sterling. The guide says displays should be positioned so shoppers can see them without having to ask a member of staff. A price on a handwritten tag is fine if it can be read at a glance.
3. Include VAT and compulsory charges
Prices that consumers see must include VAT and any other compulsory charges or taxes. The guide says postage, packing or delivery charges may be shown separately provided they are clear and easy to identify.
4. Know when a unit price is needed
A unit price is required when goods are sold loose from bulk, such as fruit, vegetables, meat or fish, or must carry a quantity marking. The unit price must include VAT and other taxes but not the amount of any deposit. The guide notes that small shops with a retail area under 280 square metres do not need to show a unit price, and that packaged goods sold from shops of that size are exempt, as are bundles and meal deals priced together.
5. Check the shop window
Items displayed for sale in a shop window must show pricing information. Jewellery, precious metals or watches with an individual selling price over £3,000 can be priced elsewhere, for example on an in-store price list. Purely promotional display items that will not be sold may be exempt, but the guide advises traders to check with their local Trading Standards service.
6. Remember the wider rules on total price
The guide also points to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which covers products more broadly. It says that where a trader makes an “invitation to purchase”, they must clearly show the total price or explain how it is calculated.
A quick weekly routine
This is our own suggestion. Once a week, walk the shop as a customer would: check the window, the loose goods, anything newly delivered and anything on offer. Make sure every item you intend to sell has a price you would be happy to explain. It takes ten minutes and can save an awkward conversation at the till.
For the full detail, read the Business Companion guide on providing price information and speak to your local Trading Standards service about your own situation.