Can Supermarkets Place A Purchase Limit On An Item?

[bushies.girl]

I always thought they couldn't, my local IGA manager tell me they can   ... Anyone know the law regarding this pls?

[lyndal1838]

What tipped you off enigma?

BTW bushies.girl , setting limits on purchases is legal in NSW.

It is quite common when a great special is advertised at the supermarket to see a note that normal retail limits apply, or a limit of 6 or 10 or 20 or whatever they please  is applicable.

Some years back we had a very sick cat who could only eat a certain tinned food.  whenever it was on special I stocked up big time.  Sometimes that meant trips to all the supermarkets in the area as they usually had a limit of 6 or 10 cans and she would go through that in a week.

[happyroo_bunji]

Yep, as long as they aren't breaking any laws they can.  For example they can't refuse you service because you are disabled, but if you've been caught stealing from the store they can refuse to serve you.

I seem to recall having seen on catalogues things like "non-commerical quantites apply".  Its basically so your local (and usually more expensive) supermarket can't go and clear out a coles or woolies shelves of their super specials (soft drinks spring to mind here)

[icyfroth]

Of course they can. But why would they? They're in the business of selling stuff, after all.

[kopenhagen5]

Because sometimes they run items at cost to draw new customers in. (even at a loss)

And then they often get smaller retailers snapping up the lot, hence the need for limits.

Cans and bottles of softdrinks have been a problem for the larger retailers.

[freddie*rooster]

The more people they get through the store the chances of them

doing more shopping then they planned is a bonus. Who goes to

a supermarket to pick up 1 item and leaves with that 1 item? Who

after saving say $6 on a special will think oh I saved $6 I will pick

up a chicken for dinner with my savings 

[zanadoo_56]

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@bushies.girl wrote:

I always thought they couldn't, my local IGA manager tell me they can   ... Anyone know the law regarding this pls?

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It's been done by supermarkets for decades.  These days I suspect no staffer is game to challenge greedy customers taking more than their fair share of baby food.  Maybe not even the store manager.

With online supermarket shopping the limits you can buy in one transaction is often specified.  When I first started grocery shopping online the limit for Continental Cup of Soup on special was 4.  Now it's 12...and 12 packets at only $1 each is a big saving.  Some products not on special have a limit of 20 but you have to contact the supermarket first to be sure they have enough to fill the order.

Way back in the dark ages (OK the 1960s) a limit of 2 per customer was common for specials.  Whenever cat food was on special my mother would grab 6 cans.  She'd buy two, with the money she gave me I'd buy two, and by the same method my brother would buy two.  Outside the supermarket we'd then put all the cat food in one bag and go home. 🙂