Unit Price Calculator

How to calculate a unit price

A unit price is the price for a fixed reference quantity, such as one kilogram, one liter or one item. It lets you compare products in different pack sizes, which is why many stores show it on the shelf label and why German law requires it for many goods.

unit price = price / quantity x reference quantity

• Per liter

  A 750 ml bottle costs $4.99. That is $4.99 / 750 x 1,000 = $6.65 per liter.

• Per pound

  A 16 oz bag costs $3.99. 16 oz is one pound, so the unit price is $3.99 per pound, or $0.25 per ounce.

• Per item

  A pack of 12 costs $6.00 and a pack of 30 costs $13.50. Per item that is $0.50 against $0.45, so the bigger pack is cheaper.

The German Grundpreis rules (PAngV)

If you sell to consumers in Germany, the Preisangabenverordnung (PAngV) requires a unit price, the Grundpreis, next to the total price for goods offered by weight, volume, length or area. In short:

• Prepackaged goods: the Grundpreis is per 1 kg, 1 l, 1 m³, 1 m or 1 m² (§ 5 Abs. 1). Since 28 May 2022 this also applies to small packs; the old 100 g / 100 ml option for packs up to 250 g is gone.
• Loose goods sold by weight or volume: per 1 kg or 100 g, or per 1 l or 100 ml, as customary (§ 5 Abs. 2).
• Goods usually sold in quantities of 50 kg, 100 l or 100 m or more: use the unit that is customary in the trade (§ 5 Abs. 1).
• No Grundpreis is needed for goods under 10 g or 10 ml, or when it equals the total price (§ 4). § 4 Abs. 3 lists more exceptions, for example perfume and decorative cosmetics.
• The Grundpreis must be unambiguous, clearly recognizable and easy to read (§ 4 Abs. 1). For goods with a drained weight, it refers to the drained weight (§ 5 Abs. 4).

Source: the official law text on gesetze-im-internet.de, checked on October 11, 2026: PAngV § 4, PAngV § 5