Two Prices for the Same Packet on the Same Shelf
When a supplier revises MRP, shops end up holding old and new stock together. Here is how to handle it legally and without an argument at the counter.
A customer at Nandini's shop in Mysuru picked up two identical packets from the same shelf. One was marked ₹45, the other ₹48. She had received new stock at a revised MRP and shelved it alongside the old.
The customer was not angry, just puzzled, and Nandini had no good answer ready. It is one of the most common awkward moments in Indian retail and one of the least discussed.
The Rule, Simply Stated
Maximum Retail Price is a ceiling, not a fixed price. You may sell below it. You may not sell above it, and doing so carries real penalties under legal metrology rules.
- Each packet must be sold at or below the MRP printed on that packet
- You cannot charge the new higher MRP for stock printed with the old one
- You can sell old stock at the old price and new stock at the new price
- MRP is inclusive of all taxes — you cannot add anything on top
- Covering, altering or obscuring a printed MRP is not permitted
That third point is the practical answer to Nandini's situation. Two prices on one shelf is not a mistake — it is what compliance actually looks like during a transition.
I thought I had done something wrong. I had done exactly the right thing and just never explained it.
Managing the Transition Cleanly
The awkwardness comes from presentation, not legality. A few habits remove it.
- Sell old-MRP stock first — it is FIFO with a legal reason attached
- Keep the two batches physically separated on the shelf where possible
- Label the shelf edge with both prices rather than leaving customers to discover it
- Tell staff the reason, so anyone can answer the question in one sentence
- Never re-sticker an old packet with a new higher price
The one-sentence answer worth teaching: ‘The manufacturer changed the price; the older packets are cheaper, so please take those first.’ Customers almost always find this reassuring rather than suspicious, because it obviously works in their favour.
When MRP rises, your purchase cost usually rose first. Check whether your margin actually improved or merely held. Shops frequently assume an MRP increase is good news and discover their margin percentage fell because the cost rose proportionally more.
Where Shops Get Into Trouble
Charging above MRP on cold or delivered goods
Adding a few rupees for refrigeration or home delivery on a packaged item is a common practice and is not permitted. If delivery has a cost, it must be a separate, disclosed delivery charge rather than an inflated product price.
Re-stickering
Covering an old MRP with a new higher one is a clear violation and is easy to detect. Revising downward is permitted, but the original must remain legible.
Loose goods sold as if packaged
Repacked goods carry their own requirements around declaring quantity and price. If you repack and sell in your own packaging, the rules that apply are not the same as those for selling a sealed manufacturer pack.
Keeping Prices Straight in Your Records
The system problem behind all of this is that a product entry usually holds one selling price, while your shelf briefly holds two.
- Update the product price when the new batch starts selling, not when it arrives
- Clear old-MRP stock deliberately, so the overlap period is short
- Record the purchase cost per batch, so margin comparisons stay honest
- Check price-sensitive fast movers after every supplier price revision
Arali stores selling and cost price per product so a revision is a deliberate update rather than a discovery at the counter, and its stock views make it straightforward to clear the older batch first. The rule itself is simple — the discipline is in shortening the overlap.
Frequently asked questions
Can a shop sell a product above MRP in India?
No. Maximum Retail Price is a ceiling inclusive of all taxes, and selling above it carries penalties under legal metrology rules. You may sell below MRP freely. You also cannot add refrigeration or delivery charges on top of a packaged item's MRP — a delivery cost must be a separate disclosed charge.
What do I do when I have stock at two different MRPs?
Sell each packet at the price printed on it — old stock at the old price, new stock at the new one. Two prices on the same shelf during a transition is correct, not a mistake. Sell the older-MRP stock first, keep the batches separated where possible, and label the shelf edge with both.
Can I put a new price sticker over an old MRP?
Not a higher one — covering or altering a printed MRP to increase it is a clear violation and easily detected. Marking a product down below its printed MRP is permitted, but the original printed price must remain legible.
How should I explain two prices to a customer?
One sentence works: the manufacturer changed the price, the older packets are cheaper, so take those first. Customers almost always find this reassuring rather than suspicious, because it obviously works in their favour. Make sure staff know the reason so anyone can answer it.