If you’ve noticed ridiculously inconsistent prices in your Dutch supermarket receipts recently, you’re not alone! On average, 13% of grocery items get incorrectly priced at the checkout.
New research by the Dutch Consumers’ Association (the Consumentenbond) reveals that most supermarkets are bungling the maths on your receipts, especially when it comes to products on discount.
Which supermarkets make the most (and least) errors?
Between February and March 2025, the Consumentenbond investigated six regional supermarkets to see which was making the most mistakes.
These consisted of Dekamarkt, Dirk, Hoogvliet, Nettorama, Poeisz, and Vomar, which all position themselves on the “affordable” end of the Dutch supermarket range.
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The worst offender on the list? Hoogvliet, where nearly 1 in 4 receipts featured incorrectly priced products (usually in the supermarket’s favour 👀).
Meanwhile, Poeisz takes home a solid B+ for its maths skills, as the Frisian chain makes the fewest errors out of the supermarkets tested (9%).
Although this round focused on regional supermarkets, big names like Albert Heijn have previously been called out for their incorrect prices.
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Jumbo and PLUS also faced criticism in the past. They have since taken action to rectify their mistakes, with the director of the Consumentenbond noting that they had a “serious willingness to banish incorrect prices. And with success. Albert Heijn should follow their example.” (Ouch, talk about a burn!)
What can you do about it?
Sorry, conflict-averse shoppers, but it’s time to dial up the Dutch directness and get your money back.
“If you discover an error on the receipt, you can always go back to the store, and you will still get the product for the correct price.” Babs van der Staak, spokesperson for the Consumentenbond, tells AD.
Plus, if you’re dead keen to ensure you hang onto that korting (discount), you can always use the self-checkout option and watch those prices closely.
Have you caught your local supermarket overcharging you for groceries? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below!
Vomar – happens to me on a regular basis. It so the norm I stand and check receipt before leaving. Knowing ill need to go back to desk.