False pricing at Albert Heijn, Jumbo prompts warning from consumer advocates

A sign at Albert Heijn advertises Duracell AA batteries for 5.39 euros. When a customer reaches the checkout, however, the batteries ring up for 8.99 euros.

This scenario and others like it are common at several supermarket chains, according to research by Consumentenbond. The consumer protection organization sent "mystery shoppers" to Albert Heijn, Lidl, Aldi, Jumbo and Plus to investigate whether the supermarkets were following through with advertised offers. The shoppers found that, in many cases, customers are paying more at the checkout than they are supposed to.

Shoppers from Consumentenbond bought products advertised prominently in the stores or promoted in weekly flyers. They found that Jumbo, Albert Heijn and Plus tended to overcharge at the checkout for items that were advertised in the store for a lower price. Aldi and Lidl rarely made mistakes, but when they did, it was usually in the customers' favor, according to Consumentenbond.

Jumbo had the worst results, with 31 out of 90 cases in which the supermarket charged a different price at the checkout than on the promoted price tag. Consumentenbond found a total of 22 errors at Albert Heijn and 17 mistakes at Plus. According to Consumentenbond, Jumbo repeated a pattern from previous studies.

"These kinds of errors are unacceptable, especially now that everything is becoming more expensive and consumers are looking for offers," said Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumentenbond. "The price the store advertises should also be the price you pay at the checkout. Aldi and Lidl show that this is possible, other supermarkets can take an example from that."

Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Plus have promised to improve, according to Consumentenbond. Molenaar said Consumentenbond would keep a "close eye" on whether the supermarkets delivered. "And because millions of consumers have paid too much at Albert Heijn and Jumbo in recent years, we invite these supermarkets to make an appropriate donation to, for example, Food Banks in the Netherlands."