Scanning Certification Program (SCP)The Scanning Certification Program (SCP), started in 1991, is a voluntary program for retailers that seeks to provide shoppers with retail pricing information and price accuracy. The program aims to clearly identify for customers the prices of all items in a store and ensure that customers are charged the lowest advertised price at checkout. Any store that sells food is eligible to join. Retailers want to assure consumers and government officials that scanning is the most accurate and efficient method of checkout – the consistent match of a posted price to the charged price is what garners customers satisfaction and regulatory compliance.
Benefits
Earning certificationSCP members undergo periodic unannounced inspections to gauge price accuracy performance. Stores that score at least 98% accuracy earn a one-year certification, which is eligible to be renewed annually. Stores that do not qualify for certification undergo follow-up inspections until the 98% accuracy requirement is met. The 98% score is the standard used by all federal and state regulators whenever officials perform price accuracy inspections.
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About SCPThe SCP has received international attention for its proactive and collaborative approach to retail price accuracy.
Despite decades of checkout scanner experiences in supermarkets nationwide, as well as the application of the technology in most other retail channels, some consumers remain disenchanted with point-of-sale checkout scanning systems. The two main complaints: prices are not easily identifiable because of illegible and/or missing shelf tags and errors occur more frequently than with manually-entered prices. PFMA recognized these consumer concerns in the late 1980s when member stores began implementing checkout scanners. The association brought together stakeholders to address checkout scanning issues. By 1991, this group of retailers, wholesalers, consumer advocates, government officials and labor representatives had developed the Scanning Certification Program, a not-for-profit voluntary program where participating retailers agree to submit to independent price accuracy inspections, with the goal of earning a certified compliance status. |
Pennsylvania's scanner inspection law
Enacted by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1996, Act 155 mandates that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture conduct unannounced annual price verification tests of all retail stores in the state that use optical checkout scanning systems. A price accuracy rate of at least 98 percent is required.
Under Pennsylvania's Certified Universal Product Code (UPC) and Price Look-Up (PLU) Inspector Program, stores with point-of-sale scanning systems are exempt from routine annual Act 155 price verification testing by the Department of Agriculture if they are inspected at least annually, on an unannounced basis, by an approved private certification program that conforms to price verification standards adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures. The Scanning Certification Program is an approved Act 155 private certification program.
During inspection, after checking in and presenting ID to management, our inspector will use techniques from the National Standards and Technology’s Handbook 130, Examination Procedures for Price Verification, to test the price accuracy of a randomly selected sample of items. The sample size ranges from 25 to 200 items, depending on store size. Upon conclusion, results are reviewed with management. Store owners or corporate contacts receive a detailed inspection report and any recommendations for improvement.
SCP inspectors are employees of PFMA and are not affiliated with stores they inspect. They use one-stage randomized sampling procedures to remove potential inspector bias from the process. Our inspectors are certified UPC/PLU inspectors through the PA Department of Agriculture to perform Act 155 price verification tests. Our inspectors are:
Under Pennsylvania's Certified Universal Product Code (UPC) and Price Look-Up (PLU) Inspector Program, stores with point-of-sale scanning systems are exempt from routine annual Act 155 price verification testing by the Department of Agriculture if they are inspected at least annually, on an unannounced basis, by an approved private certification program that conforms to price verification standards adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures. The Scanning Certification Program is an approved Act 155 private certification program.
During inspection, after checking in and presenting ID to management, our inspector will use techniques from the National Standards and Technology’s Handbook 130, Examination Procedures for Price Verification, to test the price accuracy of a randomly selected sample of items. The sample size ranges from 25 to 200 items, depending on store size. Upon conclusion, results are reviewed with management. Store owners or corporate contacts receive a detailed inspection report and any recommendations for improvement.
SCP inspectors are employees of PFMA and are not affiliated with stores they inspect. They use one-stage randomized sampling procedures to remove potential inspector bias from the process. Our inspectors are certified UPC/PLU inspectors through the PA Department of Agriculture to perform Act 155 price verification tests. Our inspectors are:
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Lisa Deming
Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut and the District of Columbia |
Peggy Tyra
Pennsylvania |
Autumn Thomas
All areas |
Laurie Savoy
All areas |
SCP Board of Advisors
The development team of price accuracy stakeholders that created the Scanning Certification Program evolved into its Board of Advisors, which sets policy and provides ongoing direction. PFMA provides administrative support.
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Edward D. Arnoldi
Member, Pennsylvania Association of Weight & Measures Kulpmont, PA Mary Bach Consumer Advocate & AARP Representative Murrysville, PA |
Drew Hyman
Professor Emeritus, Penn State University University Park, PA Ric LeBlanc Agent, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Harrisburg, PA |
Pattie Shekiro
Retail Integrity Manager, Acme Markets Malvern, PA Steve Swan General Manager, RDS Northeast Warrendale, PA SCP STAFF Autumn Thomas Executive Director, SCP Camp Hill, PA |
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STAY IN TOUCH
Let us know how we can work for you!
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phone |
address |
1029 Mumma Road
Wormleysburg, PA 17043 |