Dive Brief:

• Some of the biggest online retailers in the U.S. have agreed to a deal with New York attorney general Eric T. Schneiderman to list unit prices online. This will make it easier for consumers to determine whether buying a larger or discounted package is really a better buy.

• While 20 states, including the District of Columbia, require unit prices to be displayed in stores, it’s not a routine practice online.

• Walmart, CVS, Costco, Walgreens, drugstore.com, and FreshDirect agreed to display unit prices online by this year or next, but Amazon has refused.

Dive Insight:

Unit prices are a godsend to savvy shoppers, who often find that the huge jar of Nutella, for example, may be more expensive than buying two smaller ones. This agreement by many large U.S. retailers is a win for consumers who want to do comparison shopping, and Amazon is inviting criticism by not joining in.