Supermarket giant Asda has issued a public apology after being found in breach of fundamental UK pricing regulations. The retailer failed to display legally required unit pricing information on a range of products in its stores, leaving shoppers unable to accurately compare value.
The Labelling Lapse: What Went Wrong?
The issue came to light in October when observant customers began noticing missing unit prices on shelf-edge labels. Following reports on social media platform Reddit, an investigation was conducted at the Asda Pudsey Leeds Supercentre on Tuesday, 24 November 2025.
The investigation revealed multiple examples of non-compliant labelling. A box of 72 Weetabix was marked at "£6.50 each", a 48-pack at "£5.48 each", and a 12-pack at "£2 each". Crucially, none displayed the mandatory price per biscuit or per item.
This omission hid the true cost from consumers. While the 72-pack worked out at 9p per biscuit, the 48-pack cost 11.4p each, and the 12-pack was the most expensive at 16.6p per biscuit. Without the unit price, the larger box appeared to be a simple bulk purchase, not necessarily the best value per item.
Products Affected by the Pricing Error
The problem was not isolated to cereal. Several other everyday items were found with the same labelling fault, including:
- Calgon dishwasher tablets (15 pack & 45 pack)
- Bold laundry pods, lavender and camomile (70 pack)
- Johnson’s Baby Cotton Buds (200 pack)
- Lenor Tumble Dryer Sheets (34 pack)
- Persil Capsules detergent pods (48 pack)
- Asda's own-brand Wheat Bisks (24 pack)
In each case, the shelf label showed only the total price, not the price per tablet, sheet, or biscuit as required by law.
The Legal Requirement and Asda's Response
The Price Marking Order 2004 (PMO) mandates that retailers must display a product's price by weight, volume, or by number for items sold by count. This "unit price" must be unambiguous and clearly legible near the product, allowing shoppers to compare value easily between different sizes and brands.
When approached, Trading Standards confirmed that goods sold by count, like those identified at Asda, should be priced per individual item. The Department for Business & Trade states unit pricing is a vital tool for consumer decision-making.
An Asda spokesperson stated: "We are aware that shelf-edge labels which should have displayed the price per unit did not carry the correct information on a minority of products. We’re rolling out a fix to resolve this issue, and apologise for any inconvenience caused."
The grocer has confirmed it is investigating the problem with its shelf labels and is implementing a solution across its stores. Trading Standards declined to comment on this specific case but reiterated the legal requirements for all retailers.
