Price transparency — the law that makes price comparison possible in Israel
Israel's large food retailers are legally required to publish their prices in an open, machine-readable form. That obligation is what lets you — and us — compare prices for real.
What the law requires
Chapter C requires large retailers to publish, continuously and on their own website, the list of products and prices for every branch, in a machine-readable file. The publication duty came into force in 2015. Enforcement sits with the Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority, and the regulations are set by the Minister of Economy.
Who it applies to
The duty applies to a "large retailer" — a chain running three or more branches whose annual turnover exceeds the amount set in the law (on the order of ILS 290 million, index-linked and updated annually), and to an online store above the same threshold. For the transparency chapter the average sales floor of the branches must also exceed 120 m².
What data must be published
Three kinds of file: the list of branches, the list of products and prices, and the list of promotions — including each promotion's conditions and end date. The files must be in XML and downloadable in additional formats as well. Each chain publishes on its own site, and the Consumer Protection Authority publishes the list of links to those sites.
How often it is updated
Full files are published every trading day when the branch opens, and a price change at the register must be published within one hour. The regulations also require high availability of the publication site and retention of the data for three months.
Your right to use the data
The law states explicitly that any person may access the published data and use it freely and at no charge — for private or commercial purposes alike. That provision is what makes price-comparison services possible. Failing to publish is an offence carrying criminal sanction and financial penalties.
How QuickCheck uses it
We read the same official files the chains publish under the law and present them so they can actually be compared: by barcode, by branch, and by distance from you. We do not set prices and we do not alter them — the source is always the chain's own official publication.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price transparency law?▾
It is Chapter C of the Law for Promotion of Competition in the Food and Pharma Sectors, 5774-2014, which requires large food chains to publish their prices and promotions in open, machine-readable files, separately for each branch.
Is it allowed to use the chains' price data?▾
Yes. The law provides that any person may access the data and use it free of charge, for private or commercial purposes.
How often do the chains update prices?▾
Full files every trading day when the branch opens, and price-change updates within one hour of the change at the register.
Who enforces the price transparency duty?▾
The Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority. It also publishes the list of links to the chains' price publication sites.
Official sources
Want to see it in practice? Compare a specific product across the branches near you.
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