Sky wrote:
>
> ChattyCathy wrote:
> >
> > On Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:09:04 -0700, Dimitri wrote:
> >
> > > "ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
> > > news:AmNTn.15775$aS3.10263@hurricane...
> > >> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
> > >
> > > Barcodes allow for better management of inventory as well as a decrease in
> > > errors. This either increases profits or lowers prices or both.
> > >
> > > Most shelf identifiers (barcodes) include not only the price of the item but
> > > also a cost per unit. If one is the shopper in the family id behooves them
> > > to pay attention to the price of the items they use.
> >
> > Behooves. Haven't heard that term in years <lol>. However, I think it's
> > one of those "It was a good idea at the time" things. "They" i.e. the
> > barcode boffins didn't take into account a) garbage in, garbage out - e.g.
> > I took a tin of tomatoes to the check-out the other day that allegedly
> > cost 50 bucks instead of 50 cents - had to raise hell about it before a
> > 'supervisor' was called to sort it out; b) how 'inventive' the staff could
> > be in making the system work to their advantage e.g. cases of purposely
> > 'fixing' the system to reflect the wrong pricing on certain items - and
> > last but not least... c) shoppers with less than optimal eyesight who find
> > it difficult to read the shelf tags - if they are actually even *there*.
>
> Schnucks, a regional grocery store chain, has a policy that if the price
> for the scanned item doesn't match the shelf tag, then the customer gets
> the item for free. This probably helps to keep errors to a minimum,
> hopefully. I've sometimes come away with free stuff due to this policy
>

In some states it's a law due to past issues and complaints. My mother
tends to get quite a few free items due to store pricing errors.