Participating Retailers (Free SCOP Tracking Printable), Life in canada

Over the past 13 years of blogging, my readers often ask which retailers are part of the Scanning Price Accuracy Code voluntary program.

The program is hosted by the Retail Council of Canada, and it is widely popular among consumers. However, not everyone is aware of it.

Today, I will explain precisely what the Scanning Price Accuracy Code is. I will also discuss why it should be important to all Canadian consumers.

Purpose Of The Scanning Price Accuracy Code

There are over 7,000 major retailers across Canada (excluding Quebec) that join in the Scanning Price Accuracy Code.

If you are just finding out about this program, you have also heard the term Scanning Code of Practice. It is also known as SCOP, or The Scanning Code Of Practice and Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code, “The Code”.

They all fall under the same voluntary program that retailers can opt into to hold them accountable for pricing accuracy.

The code is endorsed by the Competition Bureau of Canada and is put in place to build customer relations and reduce legal implications.

As a consumer, I encourage you to watch your receipt and speak up when you find a pricing error.

It helps the store know where they need to improve, identify employees who need more training, and ensure they aren’t charging customers more than they should.

At the end of the day, it may seem small to let a cashier or customer service representative know about a pricing error, but it’s not.

If the store is selling thousands of the same product at a higher-than-advertised price, not only are customers losing money, but the store is failing them.

Key Details About The Code

The Code applies to all scanned Universal Product Code (UPC), bar coded, and/or Price Look Up (PLU) merchandise sold in stores, with the exception of goods not easily accessible to the public (e.g. prescription drugs and behind-the-counter cosmetics), and individually price-ticketed items. – Retail COuncil of Canada

• Voluntary Adoption: It is not the law; retailers choose to join.
• The Rule: The item is free if the scanned price is higher than the displayed or shelf price. This applies if the item is $10 or less. If the item is over $10, it will be $10 off.
• Applicability: Applies to most barcoded products, but generally not to items with individual price tags.
• Identification: Participating stores typically show a Scanner Price Accuracy Code sticker at the checkout or at the entrance/exit doors.

Scanning Code Of Practice Basic Rules

The next rules apply, although you can get a comprehensive explanation by reading The Scanning Code Of Practice In Canada.

• Policy Rule: If the scanned price is higher than the displayed price:
  • $10 or less: The item is free.
  • Over $10: The item is $10 off the lowest advertised price.

For example, if you visit Walmart to buy a box of Ritz crackers on sale in the flyer for $2.50, but at the cashier, the box rings up at $3.00, then the policy applies.

Since the sale price is $2.50 and the regular price likely hasn’t been changed in the system to $4.00, you get the product free since it’s less than $10.

However, if you go to Walmart to purchase a $15 pillow on sale that scans for $20, you would receive $10 off the $15 and pay $5.

If the item that scans incorrectly has varieties with different Universal Pricing Codes (UPC), you can get one of each free under the policy.

Let’s say you go and buy your favourite deodorant on sale for $5 and get each fragrance, but when you get to the cashier, the price scans at $6, each can would be free if the UPCs differ.

In the past, I encouraged my readers to read the full Scanning Price Accuracy Code, print it, and bring it along with them when they shop.

You can find the full policy by searching for the Retail Council of Canada.

These days, if you have a mobile phone, it’s easier to open the web page and show the cashier or manager if there is a discrepancy.

Note: The Scanning Price Accuracy Code rules can change at any time.

Scanning Price Accuracy Code Tracking Sheet

For the 2026 shopping season, Mrs. CBB and I will be tracking our Scanning Price Accuracy Code finds.

When I post our monthly budget, I will add a line for this tracking sheet in the update post so my readers can follow along.

If you’d like to follow up with us and submit your SCOP finds each month, please email me by the second week of each month for the previous month.

Our goal with the Scanning Price Accuracy Code tracking sheet is the following;

• Tally what we saved at the end of the year.
• Review products that had incorrect pricing.
• Check which stores we shopped at had the most incorrect price tags.
• To ensure we read every receipt before we leave any store to look for pricing errors.

Ideally, you don’t want to find many products with incorrect pricing. This is because it means consumers are paying more than they need to.

What this isn’t is a game of seeing how much money we can save by finding deals.

Instead, it is about coming across a deal because we were going to make a purchase.

Alternatively, we spot pricing errors while looking at the shelves, either because we know an item is on sale or because we see confusing shelf tags or displays.

Download and Print Your Free SCOP Tracking Sheet

If you’d like to print a free SCOP tracking printable or retailer list, visit the free tools page and download the PDF and print.

+ 1374 Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers independent locations

2026 Retailers Offering The Scanning Price Accuracy Code

Scanner Price Accuracy Code 2026

If the scanned price of a non-price ticketed item is higher than the shelf price or any other displayed price, the customer is entitled to receive the first item free, up to a maximum of $10. If the item is more than $10, the customer is entitled to a $10 discount off the lowest advertised or displayed price. The Code does not apply where sale dates are printed on a shelf label or signage and the sale has expired, provided the regular price is on the label or signage. If a Scanner price Accuracy Code problem cannot be resolved at the store level, please call 1-866-499-4599 to register your complaint.

Discussion: What stores do you typically visit that join in the Scanning Price Accuracy Code?

Please leave your comment below. If you have any updates for this post please message me.

Thanks,

Mr. CBB

Scanning Code Photo Credit Competition Bureau of Canada