New survey suggests people should check receipts before leaving grocery stores
Dalhousie University researchers conducted a survey earlier this month to learn more about shoppers' habits when it comes to their grocery store receipts.
They surveyed more than 5,500 Canadians from coast-to-coast. The poll revealed that the most common mistake reported is when the price of something in the aisle doesn't scan the same at the register.
Researchers said more than 75 per cent of people caught those discrepancies when they checked their receipts before leaving the store.
“If you look at your receipt every single time you go to the grocery store you’ll save $50 to $75 per year, which might not seem like a lot – but these days again – we need all the help we can get," said Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, director of Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
CTV News asked shoppers in Timmins, Ont. if they checked their receipts – most said it is not something they considered.
“Never thought about it,” said one shopper.
“You just take it for granted. Pay your bill, you walk out, put your groceries away and that’s it.”
Other shoppers said they have just accepted that grocery prices have gone up and even for the little bit you get you to have to pay a lot.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Another frequent error people found is on 'Enjoy Tonight' daily deals (items close to their best-before date), or when the cashier scanned an item too many times.
Charlebois said a receipt can also reveal other important details such as what foods are taxed.
“If you buy a box of granola bars and they went from 6 to 5 granola bars, that box is now a ‘snack’ and is taxable,” he said.
“Those are the things you want to know.”
Charlebois told CTV News that most Canadians complained when they noticed errors and were satisfied with the way grocers handled complaints.
Officials said the survey was done to encourage grocers to do better.
The full results of the customer service survey can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.