Reading a product listing: model numbers, unit prices, energy labels and reviews

Comparing prices only works if you’re comparing the same thing. Two listings with the same name and photo can be for products that differ in ways that matter, and a five-star average can hide a lot. These are the parts of a listing worth reading before you decide which offer is the better deal.

The full model number

The product name is marketing; the model number identifies the product. Televisions, laptops and kitchen appliances often come in several versions under one name, differing in the screen panel, the processor, the storage or the accessories in the box. Some large retailers also sell versions with their own model numbers, which can make like-for-like comparison hard.

• Compare the complete model number, including any letters at the end.
• Check the size, capacity, colour and year, which can all change the price.
• Check whether it’s new, open-box or refurbished. See buying refurbished.
• For electronics, check it’s the version sold for your country, so the plug fits and the warranty applies.

Unit prices

For goods sold by weight or volume, such as food, detergent or pet food, the unit price is the fairer comparison. In the EU, the Price Indication Directive requires shops to show the price per kilogram, litre or other unit alongside the selling price, online as well as in store, with some exceptions. The UK has similar rules. A larger pack or a multipack isn’t always cheaper per unit, and the unit price is the quickest way to tell.

Energy labels

In the EU, many appliances carry an energy label with a scale from A to G. For the main categories, including fridges, washing machines, dishwashers and televisions, the scale was reset in 2021, so a product rated A under the old scale might now be rated D or E. Online shops have to show the label and the product information sheet with the listing.

Since 20 June 2025, smartphones and tablets sold in the EU have their own label. Besides energy efficiency, it shows battery life per charge, how many charge cycles the battery is rated for, resistance to drops, a repairability score and protection against dust and water. If you’re choosing between two similar phones, it gives you numbers that are hard to find anywhere else.

In the US, many appliances carry the yellow EnergyGuide label, which estimates the yearly running cost. For anything you’ll run for years, the running cost can be worth more than a small difference in price.

Reviews you shouldn’t rely on

The law on fake reviews has tightened in recent years:

• In the US, the FTC’s rule on consumer reviews, in force since 21 October 2024, bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones that pretend to come from real customers, paying for reviews that must be positive or negative, and undisclosed reviews from a company’s own staff.
• In the UK, fake reviews and hidden incentivised reviews have been banned outright since 6 April 2025, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The CMA’s guidance (CMA208) sets out what businesses must do to prevent them.
• In the EU, since the Omnibus Directive, a shop that shows reviews must say whether and how it checks that they come from people who actually bought or used the product. Posting or commissioning fake reviews is banned.

Rules don’t catch everything, so read reviews with some care:

• Check the reviews are for this exact product. Some listings pool reviews across colours, sizes or even different models.
• Look at the dates. A burst of five-star reviews in a few days is a warning sign.
• Read the middle ratings. Three-star reviews tend to describe real strengths and weaknesses.
• Look for detail. Reviews that mention how long the reviewer has used the product, or a specific problem, are more useful than general praise.

The price itself

Once you know two offers are for the same product, compare what you’ll pay in total, including delivery. A crossed-out “was” price is worth checking too; our guide to telling whether a sale price is real explains what it has to mean.

Sources

1. Price Indication Directive 98/6/EC (EUR-Lex)
2. European Commission: Understanding the energy label
3. Energy labelling of smartphones and tablets, Regulation (EU) 2023/1669 (EUR-Lex)
4. FTC rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465 (eCFR)
5. FTC: Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (August 2024)
6. CMA: Fake reviews guidance, CMA208 (GOV.UK)
7. Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161 (EUR-Lex)

Rules change. If something here is wrong or out of date, please tell us and we’ll fix it. This guide is general information, not legal advice.