Albert Heijn supermarket prices don’t add up: Consumer group

Consumer association Consumentenbond is taking the Albert Heijn supermarket group to court to find out more about cash register mistakes which have led to shoppers paying more than they should. 

The association’s research shows that AH, Jumbo and Plus receipts are often likely to be wrong when checked against the prices of goods in the stores. In 2023, the association said it wanted compensation for consumers who have for years put up with the mistakes, unbeknown to them. 

Albert Heijn has been in talks with the Consumentenbond but, said director Sandra Molenaar, the company has refused to hand over the results of its own investigation into the size of the problem. 

“The supermarket said the problem is very minor,” she said. “We are now going to court to force AH to share the information with us. Then we can make a better assessment of the damage and force a compensation package.”

The mistakes per consumer may be relatively minor but in total, millions of euros are involved, the association says. 

The problem is down to several issues. In some cases, discount prices advertised on the shelves are not taken down in time, but in principle, the price in the shop, not on the cash register, should be leading. 

The situation at Plus and Jumbo stores has improved over the past year, the association said.