SLGA full prices now appearing in fine print

Customers may want to double check price tags the next time they’re at a liquor store.

The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) now displays two prices on store shelves: One retail price as well as a full price which includes tax and deposit in fine print underneath.

Previously, only the full price was listed, meaning what you saw on the shelf was what you paid at the till.

SLGA spokesperson David Morris said the change was made in order to move in line with what private liquor stores do.

“This move really puts SLGA’s practice with shelf tags similar to what’s done in any other retailer,” said Morris, who added the SLGA kept an “all-in price” so customers can see both options.

While the change affects the 36 SLGA stores across the province, some other liquor stores have already been using the double pricing method for some time.

Jay Rendall, the manager at Metro Liquor in Regina, said his store has displayed the pricing method since it opened last year. The private franchise is based out of B.C., where liquor stores also display a retail price.

“We have just our retail price and then tax and deposit is a second category underneath the original price tag,” Rendall said. “They’re just kind of converting over to what we’ve been doing the whole time.

“It will help with customer feedback. They’ll be more used to seeing that style of tag.”

Rendall said he was surprised to hear of the change by SLGA, as most customers prefer to see the full price on shelves.

“Everybody’s feedback is that they enjoy the full price model,” said Rendall, who added that some customers miss the second price on the shelf.

“Sometimes they get to the till and we ring it in and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s an extra five bucks?’ They don’t realize that that’s only the retail price not including tax and deposit.”

Morris said the SLGA has not heard many customer complaints, but he added that such a price model is what consumers are used to seeing.

“If you’re buying groceries (or) you’re buying hardware or something, typically what you see is a price at the shelf that doesn’t include your taxes and deposits,” he said.

Metro Liquor works to educate its customers on the system, which has worked well.

“Once we educate our customers to look for the price on the second tag, we’ve eliminated the negative feedback we were getting,” Rendall said.

Morris wants customers to know the changes will not affect prices. He isn’t concerned about it affecting businesses.

“Customers will shop at liquor stores for any number of different reasons,” said Morris. “All this does is move our pricing at the shelf level.”