Scanning Certification Program

The Scanning Certification Program, which started in 1991, is a voluntary price accuracy program that seeks to provide pricing accuracy and appropriate pricing information for retail customers in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. The main objectives of the program are to clearly identify for customers the prices of all items in the store and to ensure that customers are charged the lowest advertised price at the checkout.

Program Guidelines
Stores are required to ensure that the shelf tags are accurate and legible, that scanners are programmed to charge the lowest advertised price, that appropriate employees receive price accuracy training, and that consumers receive information about their rights as scanning store customers.

Participants
More than 1,200 food retailers currently participate in the program. Supermarkets made up 100 percent of the membership base until 1999, when a substantial number of convenience stores enrolled. Any store which sells food items and uses an optical scanning checkout system is eligible to join the Scanning Certification Program.

Achieving Certification
To receive program certification, member stores must also achieve a price accuracy rating of at least 98 percent during an annual price verification inspection. The Scanning Certification Program counts all errors - overcharges, undercharges and items with no posted price - in the certification process.

Benefits
Retailers want to assure consumers and government officials that scanning is the most accurate method of checkout. The Scanning Certification Program provides public recognition for those stores which achieve and maintain high standards of accuracy in the administration of their pricing and scanning systems.

The Scanning Certification Program is recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture as an approved private certifier under Act 155 of 1996.