Southampton MP wins backing in bid to protect consumers from rip-off tactics

Consumer minister Jo Swinson will consider whether to ask officials to examine Itchen MP John Denham’s ideas to change the law.

Meanwhile, Labour is also interested in adopting the proposal – to give shoppers instant, online access to supermarket prices – to counter food price increases.

The big supermarkets will soon be asked to carry out technical work, to assess how easy it would be to introduce such a system.

Mr Denham said: “I had very constructive discussions with the minister and asked her to consider her officials doing more detailed work on the idea.

“The idea is also being looked at by Labour, which is important because I would like cross-party support.

“It would create more honest competition between supermarkets, lower prices – and fewer dodgy deals and rip-offs for shoppers.”

Under the scheme, shoppers would be able to find out the cheapest shop for the items they wish to buy using smartphone applications.

Mr Den-ham is keen to counter tactics such as temporarily raising a product’s price – only to later “reduce” it back to the original price.

Supermarkets have also been accused of pricing fruit and vegetables in different ways, making it difficult to compare the costs.

Earlier this year, Mr Denham brought forward a back bench Bill to force supermarkets to make available detailed price information, but it failed to become law.

The MP has argued that none of the information is “secret” – but it currently requires an “army of volunteers” to check prices on a daily basis.

Consumer groups and price comparison websites have already thrown their weight behind the idea.

Just weeks ago, Mary Creagh, Labour’s environment spokesman, also hinted that it could find a way into the party’s next general election manifesto.

Ms Creagh said: “This would enable scrutiny of special offers, multi-buys, ‘bogofs’ and other price promotions and inform shoppers how much more or less it would cost them to shop at different stores.”