Woolworths says it is the first national grocery retailer to introduce comparative unit pricing, allowing customers to judge which products are best value for money.

Woolworths supermarkets general manager James Aylen said the company had conducted successful trials in each state and territory and today launched a rollout across all 780 Woolworths and Safeway stores.

The price comparison scheme will apply to some 19,000 items, requiring more than 12.5 million price tickets to be replaced in the next year.

It follows an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission into grocery prices earlier this year, which recommended that all grocery products should display a unit price.

Rival supermarket chains Aldi and Franklins are also adopting unit pricing.

“Woolworths has become the first national grocery retailer in Australia to introduce comparative unit pricing,” the company said in a statement today.

Mr Aylen said the unit price would be displayed underneath the usual checkout price.

“Price is one of many factors which influence customers’ purchasing decisions. Unit pricing provides value-driven customers with extra information that may help make more informed choices when they shop,” he said.

“We already have unit pricing in eight of our stores across the country and over the next year we will be updating our tickets nationwide to display unit pricing.”

- AAP