Price Marking for Retailers

Guide summary

Display all prices clearly before a customer buys. Show the selling price including VAT and the unit price (per kg, litre, metre). You can face an unlimited fine if you break these rules.

Show the selling price including VAT clearly before purchase
Display unit prices for most products sold by weight or volume
Use metric units for all prices (imperial can be shown as well)
Keep sale prices honest – use a genuine previous price
Tell customers about extra charges like delivery before they pay
Update price tags when prices change – train your staff to do this
Check your price displays regularly to make sure they are correct
You can face an unlimited fine for breaking these rules

The Price Marking Order 2004 requires retailers to display prices clearly before purchase. Penalties for breach include unlimited fines.

Price Marking Requirements

Legal requirements for displaying prices

Selling price: Must be clearly visible before purchase
Unit price: Required (per kg, litre, metre, etc.)
Unit price exemption: Products under 50g/50ml or sold by number
Metric units: Must use metric (imperial can be shown alongside)
Sale prices: Must show original price and sale price
Online prices: Same requirements as in-store
Penalty for breach: Unlimited fine

Price Marking Order 2004

Requires retailers to display clear, accurate prices for products offered to consumers. Prices must include VAT and be clearly visible. Unit pricing is mandatory for most pre-packaged goods.

Selling price requirements

You must display the selling price (including VAT) for all products offered to consumers. The price must be:

In sterling
Clearly legible
Unambiguous
Easily identifiable
Clearly visible to consumers

Unit pricing

For most pre-packaged goods, you must display both:

Selling price: The total price for the item
Unit price: Price per kilogram, litre, metre, square metre, or cubic metre

Unit pricing exemptions

Unit pricing is not required for:

Goods sold from bulk
Products with unit price identical to selling price
Certain food items sold by number (bread, eggs, etc.)

Was/now pricing

When advertising price reductions, the reference price must be genuine — a misleading price comparison is an unfair commercial practice under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024:

As good practice, use a previous price that applied for a meaningful period (28 days is the long-standing benchmark from withdrawn official guidance, not a statutory threshold)
Do not exaggerate savings
Be clear about the period the reduction applies to

Additional charges

If you charge extra for delivery, payment methods, or other services:

These must be clearly stated before checkout
Payment method surcharges banned from January 2018 (except corporate credit cards)
Delivery charges must be clear and not hidden until final checkout stage

Price display: Ensure all product prices include VAT and are clearly displayed
Unit pricing: Implement unit pricing for all applicable products (price per kg, litre, etc.)
Was/now pricing: Review 'was/now' pricing to ensure previous prices are genuine reference prices (misleading comparisons breach the DMCC Act 2024)
Additional charges: Display all additional charges (delivery, booking fees) clearly before checkout
Price updates: Train staff to update price tickets promptly when prices change
Pricing audits: Audit pricing displays regularly to ensure compliance

Price Marking (Amendment) Order 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Common compliance issues

Misleading sale prices: 'Was' price must have been charged for reasonable period
Hidden fees: Total price including VAT must be shown
Missing unit prices: Required for most products sold by weight/volume
Shelf-edge vs till price: You are not legally obliged to honour a lower shelf price (a displayed price is an invitation to treat), but persistently inaccurate displays can be a misleading practice under the DMCC Act 2024

Legal basis

Primary legislation and key regulations

Consumer Rights Act 2015 Primary 2015 · UK-wide Price Marking (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025 SI 2025 · UK-wide Price Marking Order 2004 SI 2004 · UK-wide

Browse UK legislation legislation.gov.uk

Official guidance

Accepting returns and giving refunds (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

CMA

CMA Digital Markets Unit (opens in a new tab)

CMA

CMA consumer enforcement (opens in a new tab)

CMA

CMA unfair contract terms guidance (CMA37) (opens in a new tab)

Publication · CMA

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 - detailed guidance (opens in a new tab)

Publication · OPSS

Product recalls and alerts (opens in a new tab)

OPSS

Price Marking for Retailers

Common compliance issues

Legal basis

Official guidance

Related guides in Consumer Rights

Annual retail compliance checklist

Run a compliant retail business

Software licensing compliance

E-commerce regulations for online selling

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