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Your Shopping Rights

Useful tips to help ensure you are paying the correct price.

Scanners (Point of Sale) - Price Accuracy

Were you charged the lowest advertised or posted price? Bar code readers, scanners, and price look-up systems have replaced individual prices on items at most stores. The Scanner program consists of our staff performing periodic simulated purchases at businesses around Marin County verifying that consumers are paying the lowest advertised or posted price. Price Accuracy inspections have become more important because many stores determine their pricing through a central location; an error in one store may be an error in them all.

Test purchases of other commodities, such as deli items, produce, and recyclables are also conducted. 

Do you purchase firewood? Firewood dealers are required to leave an invoice with their name, address, date and the amount of wood delivered. Check out this video about purchasing firewood

Package Inspections - Packaged Commodities

This program involves the inspection of retailers to audit the contents of packaged products. The contents must equal the amount stated on the label. Inspections of meat counters, bakeries, and deli sections of supermarkets are conducted. Audited packages are weighed using a scale that has been tested with standards certified by a State of California lab. The labeled net weight statement and the true net contents are compared. 

For more information regarding Package Inspections and other Weights and Measures topics visit the The State Division of Measurement Standards website.

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Page last updated on October 4, 2024.