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Hamilton Spectator
07-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
New rules on tipping, price labelling take effect across Quebec
MONTREAL - New rules on tipping and on price displays at grocery retailers took effect Wednesday across Quebec, in a move the government describes as an effort to make things easier for consumers. The rules require the display of any suggested tipping options to be 'neutral and uniform,' to prevent a merchant from pressuring clients to give higher tips. In addition, the rules require merchants to ensure the terminals do not suggest tips that are calculated on the price after taxes. For example, a suggested tipping percentage on a $100 tab should be based on that amount and not $114.98, which includes the federal and provincial sales taxes. Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, who oversees consumer protection, said the new rules will make life simpler for Quebecers by removing 'irritants' at a time when 'every dollar counts for Quebec families.' 'Our government is taking action to protect Quebecers' wallets,' he said in a statement. Also, grocery retailers will now have to include more information on displays, such as the price per unit of measure, and the price for customers who don't belong to a store's loyalty rewards program. That measure extends to any retailer that sells food, including convenience stores. The province has also raised the baseline for an existing price accuracy policy from $10 to $15 – meaning that if the price at checkout is higher than the advertised price, the product must be offered for free if it is less than $15. The pricing error policy has existed since 2001. Michel Rochette, president of the Retail Council of Canada's Quebec branch, noted that consumers in stores should see changes in labelling. Rochette said in any given store, you could have 30,000 to 40,000 different products, so it's a major task to change labels. However, the province's consumer protection agency recently added new criteria not included in the law that will take longer to implement. In recent weeks, the government decided the rules would extend to websites, phone applications and flyers. 'So it's asking the industry to reprogram and reconfigure its advertising and communications, which wasn't the case at the start,' Rochette said. 'So there will be a need for some flexibility for the government.' Martin Vézina, vice-president of public affairs at the Quebec Restaurant Association, said the transition will take some time as some terminals need to be reprogrammed or replaced altogether. The association has warned its members that they have the responsibility to comply with the regulations, even if an external company oversees their point-of-service terminals. Restaurant owners, he said, could see savings on credit card fees and taxes. But servers and wait staff could see less tips. 'It remains to be seen if servers will find that the reduction in tips will make them change employment,' Vézina said. Nathalie Guy, on her lunch break in downtown Montreal, said tipping had got out of hand, particularly during the pandemic as most people switched to using debit or credit. She recalled one time where she felt she had 'no choice' but to tip while purchasing a meal. 'As long as it's fair and at the discretion of the customer, I think that's what is important,' Guy said. Karine Grondin, finishing her meal at a food court, said she welcomes the rules. 'Everywhere now you're asked for one (a tip),' Grondin said. 'It's up to people to decide, but I agree it shouldn't be on an amount including taxes.' Speaking to reporters in Quebec City, Jolin-Barrette noted the goal of the in-store display changes is to better inform shoppers. 'Until last week, in some stores, you practically had to have a magnifying glass to see the price per hundred grams to see what the real unit price was,' Jolin-Barrette said. 'So from now on, the information will be very clear: the regular price, the discounted price, the unit price, and the price per measure.' The changes were introduced last fall and passed unanimously at the national assembly in November. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
New rules on pricing, tip calculation take effect in Quebec today. Here's what you can expect
Social Sharing As of May 7, Quebec consumers should be noticing some changes when out doing their grocery shopping or grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant. That's because new rules surrounding pricing and how tips are calculated come into effect today. In November, Quebec unanimously passed Bill 72. The legislation aims to help Quebecers make the best choices based on their budget and needs by protecting them against abusive commercial practices. Here's a list of what you can expect. Suggested tip calculations Businesses are now required to calculate suggested tips based on the price before tax. For example, suggested tips for a restaurant bill of $100 will be calculated as a percentage of $100, not the after-tax total of $114.98. WATCH | Tip inflation? How Quebec is clamping down: Quebec moves to clamp down on growing 'tip inflation' at restaurants 8 months ago Duration 1:41 Quebec's justice minister has tabled a bill that would require restaurants to calculate tips on prices before taxes to protect cost-weary consumers from misleading tip recommendations. When proposing the changes, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, who is also the minister responsible for consumer protection, noted that 62 per cent of Canadians reported leaving a higher tip than they had planned because of the options presented at the pay terminal. "We shouldn't have to feel pressure when we're paying the bill," Jolin-Barrette said. "Tipping needs to remain a discretionary choice for consumers." He also stressed the importance of having the correct information to better guide consumer decisions. Some fear the changes will mean lower earnings for staff who rely on tips, but Martin Vézina, vice-president of public affairs at the Quebec Restaurant Association, said it won't have a significant impact on the industry at large. Restaurant owners, he said, might even benefit by paying less in credit card fees on tips, as well as less income tax on declared tips. Compensation for pricing errors As of Wednesday, if an item's advertised price is $15 or less and doesn't match the price scanned at the cash register, consumers in Quebec can potentially get the item for free. That is the case if the scanned price is higher than the price advertised for that item, be it in-store, in an advertisement or a flyer. Merchants will also have to give a $15 discount for inaccurate pricing on items sold for more than $15. "The main thing is that you never have to pay above the advertised price in any situation," said Charles Tanguay, a spokesperson for the Office de la protection du consommateur. The Price Accuracy Policy is not a new regulation. It's been in place since 2001, but until now, the base amount was $10, not $15. WATCH | Pricing errors and your rights as a consumer: How Quebec's updated rules on pricing errors in stores could benefit you 7 minutes ago Duration 2:47 As of May 7, if an item is priced $15 or less and doesn't match what's scanned at the cash register, consumers in Quebec will be able to get the item for free. This used to only apply to items under $10, but the province is making the change to further ensure consumers are charged the advertised price. The increase, Tanguay said, accounts for inflation and is meant to be an incentive for businesses to reduce pricing errors, which he says can amount to disinformation "and can bring a consumer to [make] wrong decisions." There are of course some exceptions. The policy doesn't apply on shoes and clothing, items without barcodes and medication sold exclusively in pharmacies. A full list of exemptions can be found here. Michel Rochette, president of the Quebec branch of the Retail Council of Canada, told CBC News that while the organization agrees with the increase from $10 to $15, it was taken aback by the scope of the new law. It was only recently that the council learned it would also apply to online ads and flyers and "every kind of publicity," which he's worried might lead to confusion. He said sometimes the price in a flyer is different from the price on the website, and prices can also vary from region to region. "If you extend the scope of that bill, you know, recognizing what is the right price to the right store, it could bring a lot of new challenges," Rochette said, adding the council is hoping for clearer guidelines and a more realistic timeline. Clearer price labelling for food The new standards put in place are also meant to make comparing food prices easier for shoppers. Grocery stores and other businesses selling food products are now required to clearly label the regular cost of a product and specify whether items are taxable. When a price is offered for a set of food items, say three lemons for $2.50, and these items can be purchased separately, the unit price must be sufficiently visible compared to the price of the set. "If I buy just one item, how much should I pay? I don't want to know necessarily how much is three items if I just want one," Tanguay said. Items that are on sale must also show the regular price.
