Counter Price Differs from the Item Price Tag: Which One Prevails

Allow me to share with you my experience while buying some items in a mall near our place. Even before the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), I have always wanted to buy the ceramic pots I saw being displayed there. Since the ECQ was lifted, Ahoy! the lovely pots are still there so without hesitation I took it straight to the counter.

I checked the price tag of each pot at the bottom. The small one is tagged for Php300.00 while the big one is at Php500.00.

Now, after the items were scanned, I was shocked to find out that the price of the small pot was Php312.00 and the other one was Php525.00. Clearly, there was a big difference of the price as indicated in the price tag and in the store's Point of Sale (POS) system. 

When I asked the Cashier for clarification, she said that they are now "under tagged" due to their on-going system upgrade. I told the Cashier that under the law, the price indicated in the tag shall be the price to be paid by the buyer. The Cashier was quick to rebut me that I better leave the items. Was she right? Would you just leave and forever suffer the guilt that you were not able to buy your dream pots simply because the store increased its price without changing its price tag?

It is at this point that your knowledge of your Consumer Rights comes in.  Article 81 of Republic Act 7394 otherwise known as The Consumer Act of the Philippines, states that:

"It shall be unlawful to offer any consumer product for retail sale to the public without an appropriate price tag....xxxxx ..... xxxx... and said products shall not be sold at price higher than that stated therein.... xxx" [Emphasis supplied]

The Store Supervisor was summoned after I refused to heed the evil advice of the Cashier to not buy the items. To my dismay, however, the Store Supervisor simply resonated with the logic of the Cashier. Did these people ever hear of the so-called Price Tag Law? 

Upon mentioning the price tag law, the Store Supervisor paused for a moment and called another lady. Alas! That other lady without much ado directed the Cashier to follow the price indicated in the price tag. Hence, the scanned price was reduced to the original price as indicated in the price tag of the items.

Underlined in red are the scanned price. Encircled in white are the discounts to revert back to the price tag.

Let us not fall to a Personality Victim. Know your rights as a consumer. Assert the rights that we know of under the law. As one tv show tagline said: "Ligtas ang may alam."