Eric T. Schneiderman

New York might have failed in its efforts to tax sugary sodas, but that didn't keep retail giant Wal-Mart from trying to tax it anyway. This week, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that the state reached a settlement with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. over false advertising claims. The settlement followed an investigation into claims that Wal-Mart advertised a sale on Coca-Cola soft drinks but actually charged customers across New York State more than the advertised sale price.

Is that television-size box of graham crackers at Costco really a better deal than a standard box at Wal-Mart? Soon, online consumers won't have to do the math to figure it out. Some of the country's largest supermarkets and drugstores have agreed to display prices by unit of measurement, as well as by item, on their websites and mobile apps, to help shoppers slice though the confusion that sometimes arises from different packaging and discounts. Major retailers including Wal-Mart, CVS and Costco have agreed to the deal.