VERMONT

Title 6 : Agriculture

Chapter 037 : Unit Pricing

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 681)

• § 681. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

(2) "Consumer commodity" means any food, drug, device, or cosmetic 

and other article, product, or commodity of any other kind or class, except for 

drugs sold only by prescription:

(A) which are customarily produced for sale to retail sales agencies or 

instrumentalities for consumption by individuals, for use by individuals for 

purposes of personal care, or in the performance of services ordinarily 

rendered in or around the household; and

(B) which usually are consumed or expended in the course of such 

consumption or use.

(3) "Unit price" of a consumer commodity means the retail price of a 

consumer commodity expressed in terms of the retail price of such commodity 

per such unit of weight, measure, or count as the Secretary designates, 

computed to the nearest whole cent or fraction thereof as the Secretary 

designates. (1971, No. 240 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. 

May 27, 2003.)

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 682)

• § 682. Consumer information required

(a) Every person who sells, offers for sale, or exposes for sale at retail any 

aluminum foil, bread, carbonated soft drinks, cereals, cooking oils, dog or cat 

food, facial tissues, fish, fowl, fruits, grains, meats, napkins, plastic food 

wrapping, vegetables, waxed paper, or other consumer commodity 

designated by the Secretary shall disclose to the consumer the unit price of 

the consumer commodity as provided in this chapter.
(b) Every person who sells, offers for sale, or exposes for sale at retail any 

consumer commodity shall disclose to the consumer the total price of the 

consumer commodity as provided in this chapter. (1971, No. 240 (Adj. Sess.), 

§ 2; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003.)

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 683)

• § 683. Means of disclosure

Persons subject to the requirements of section 682 of this title shall disclose 

the unit price and total price to consumers in one or more of the following 

appropriate ways:

(1) if the consumer commodity is so located that it is not conspicuously 

visible to the consumer, or if the consumer commodity is so located that the 

price information if displayed in accordance with subdivision (2) of this section 

would not be conspicuously visible to the consumer, by a sign or list bearing 

the price information, conspicuously placed near the point of procurement; or

(2) by attachment of a stamp, tag, or label directly adjacent to the 

consumer commodity, on the shelf on which the commodity is displayed, or by 

stamping or affixing the price information on the commodity itself; or

(3) in accord with regulations adopted by the Secretary. (1971, No. 240 

(Adj. Sess.), § 3, amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003.)

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 684)

• § 684. Repealed. 1973, No. 50.

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 685)

• § 685. Secretary's powers

The Secretary shall:

(1) Designate by regulation those consumer commodities in addition to 

the consumer commodities specifically enumerated in subsection 682(a) of 

this title as to which display of the unit price shall be required, upon a 

determination that such display will be in the best interests of consumers.

(2) Designate by regulation the unit of weight, measure, or count in terms 

of which the unit price of each consumer commodity shall be expressed, 
provided that no designated unit shall be such as to require persons subject to 

the provisions of subsection 682(a) of this title to measure any consumer 

commodity solely for the purpose of complying with subsection 682(a) of this 

title.

(3) Designate by regulation whether the unit price of each consumer 

commodity subject to the provisions of subsection 682(a) of this title shall be 

expressed to the nearest whole cent or to an appropriate fraction thereof.

(4) Exempt by regulation classes of retail establishments from any or all 

requirements of this chapter upon a determination that, because sales of 

consumer commodities regulated by this chapter are purely incidental to the 

business of such classes of retail establishments, compliance with this 

chapter is impracticable and unnecessary for adequate protection of 

consumers.

(5) Prescribe by regulation means for the disclosure of price information 

upon determination that they are more effective than those prescribed in 

section 683 of this title.

(6) Adopt any other regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of 

this chapter, in accordance with the best interests of consumers.

(7) Adopt regulations addressing the method of price disclosure in the 

sale of home food service plans, including not only the price of the 

commodities sold, but the service costs or membership fees associated with 

such a purchase. These regulations shall take precedence over any uniform 

regulation adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures and 

published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (Added 

1971, No. 240 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; amended 1991, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.); 2003, 

No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003.)

(Cite as: 6 V.S.A. § 687)

• § 687. Penalty

A person who violates this chapter shall be fined not more than $500.00. 

(1971, No. 240 (Adj. Sess.), § 7.)