Unit prices in online stores: what German law requires
Anyone selling goods by weight, volume, length or area to consumers in Germany must show the unit price next to the price. Since the German Price Indication Ordinance (Preisangabenverordnung, PAngV) was revised in May 2022, the unit is almost always 1 kg or 1 l. This guide explains what applies and how to set it up in a Shopify store.
Last updated: · PreisKlar by SyncVentura
At a glance
- Required for goods offered by weight, volume, length or area – next to the total price (§ 4(1) PAngV).
- The unit is 1 kg, 1 l, 1 m, 1 m² or 1 m³; per 100 g or 100 ml is only allowed for loose goods (§ 5).
- Exemptions include goods under 10 g or 10 ml, combinations of different products, decorative cosmetics and perfume (§ 4(3)).
- The unit price must be stated unambiguously, clearly recognisable and easily legible – also where you advertise with prices.
When a unit price is required
Under § 4(1) PAngV, the obligation applies to businesses offering consumers goods in prepackages, open packages or as unwrapped sales units by weight, volume, length or area – or advertising such goods with prices. The unit price must then be stated next to the total price, “unambiguously, clearly recognisably and easily legibly”.
Typical examples in online stores: coffee in 500 g bags, olive oil in 750 ml bottles, spices, pet food, cosmetics by content, cable by the metre or flooring by the square metre.
- If the unit price equals the total price – for example at exactly 1 kg – it may be omitted (§ 4(1), second sentence).
- For loose goods measured at purchase, the unit price alone is enough (§ 4(2)).
- Every variant with its own quantity needs its own unit price.
The right unit
The unit for the unit price is 1 kilogram, 1 litre, 1 cubic metre, 1 metre or 1 square metre (§ 5(1)). The formerly common per 100 g or 100 ml has only been allowed for loose goods since May 2022 (§ 5(2)).
| Product | Unit price |
|---|---|
| Coffee, 500 g, €7.99 | €15.98 / 1 kg |
| Olive oil, 750 ml, €9.99 | €13.32 / 1 l |
| Spice, 50 g, €3.49 | €69.80 / 1 kg |
| Laminate, 2.22 m², €39.99 | €18.01 / 1 m² |
- For goods usually sold in quantities of 50 kg, 100 l or 100 m and more, the customary unit applies (§ 5(1), second sentence).
- Where a drained weight must be stated – for example for canned food – the unit price refers to it (§ 5(4)).
- For laundry detergents, a customary application may serve as the unit (§ 5(5)).
Exemptions
Under § 4(3) PAngV, the obligation does not apply to
- goods with a nominal weight or volume of less than 10 grams or 10 millilitres,
- goods containing different products that are not mixed or blended together,
- goods from small direct sellers and small shops where goods are mainly handed over by staff,
- goods offered as part of a service,
- goods in drink and food vending machines,
- chewing and snuff tobacco up to 25 grams,
- cosmetics used exclusively for colouring or beautifying skin, hair or nails,
- perfumes and perfumed waters with at least 3 % fragrance oil and 70 % pure ethyl alcohol by volume.
For most online stores, the 10 g / 10 ml threshold and the exemptions for decorative cosmetics and perfume matter most.
Where and how the unit price must appear
The unit price belongs to the offer: it must be clearly attributable to the offer and easy to recognise and read (§ 1(3), § 4(1)). In an online store it therefore appears near the price – on the product page and wherever else the product is shown with a price, such as category pages or price advertising.
Compare-at prices and discounts add a second obligation: the lowest price of the last 30 days. See the guide 30-day lowest price.
Unit prices in Shopify
Shopify has its own unit price field: for each variant you enter the total measurement (such as 500 g) and the base measurement (1 kg); Shopify calculates the unit price and updates it when the price changes. Common themes show it next to the price.
- Find products with a quantity
Go through all products sold by weight, volume, length or area.
- Enter the quantity per variant
Total measurement and base unit 1 kg, 1 l, 1 m, 1 m² or 1 m³ – no longer 100 g or 100 ml.
- Check the display
Look at the product and collection pages to see whether the unit price appears next to the price.
- Don’t forget new products
Shopify gives no reminder when you create a product – without a routine or automation the field stays empty.
What happens if it is wrong
Failing to state the unit price, or stating it incorrectly or incompletely, is an administrative offence under § 20 PAngV. Missing or incorrect price information can also be challenged by competitors and associations under the German Act against Unfair Competition.
Sources
This guide gives a general overview as of the date shown and is not legal advice. The wording of the regulations is authoritative; individual cases may require advice from a lawyer or the competent authority.