How do you read a unit price label?

What is on the tag

Most shelf tags show the selling price in large type and the unit price in smaller type, often next to the product's size. The unit price may be labeled per ounce, per fluid ounce, per pound or per count, depending on how the product is sold. Retail shelf unit-price labels are the starting point, and some states have their own unit-pricing rules, so check yours.

Some states require unit pricing in certain stores, and many stores offer it voluntarily. The details vary by store and by state, so if a tag is missing it, you can work it out yourself.

Work it out yourself

Take the price and divide it by the quantity printed on the package. Use the same unit for every product you are comparing. If one package is in ounces and another is in pounds, convert one so both match before you divide.

• Check the unit: per ounce, per fluid ounce, per count or per sheet.
• Convert if the units differ.
• Compare the same kind of product, such as liquid with liquid.

Mistakes to watch for

Two tags can use different units for similar products, which makes the smaller number look better when it is not. Multipacks may show a price per pack and a price per item, so make sure you are reading the right one.

Package size also changes over time. A familiar box can hold less than it used to, so a price that looks unchanged may hide a higher unit price. The unit price shows that change.

A quick worked method

Pick the product you buy most often and note its unit price once. That becomes your baseline. The next time you shop, you only need to glance at the tag and ask whether the new figure is lower, the same or higher. Over a few trips this takes very little effort and shows you which sizes and brands are worth your attention.

Keep the baseline in a note on your phone, and update it when you change brands or sizes.

Use it with sales

A sale price is only a good deal if the unit price beats your usual one. Our page on telling whether a sale is real covers that check in more detail.

Sources

• Retail shelf unit-price labels
• State unit-pricing rules (check your state)