BRUSSELS, July 4 (Reuter) - The European Commission will propose new rules next week making it easier for people to see if they are getting value for money for the food they buy.

The draft rules, drawn up by Consumer Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino after years of lobbying by consumer groups, would force shopkeepers to display the price of foodstuffs in relation to a given weight or other measure -- so much per kilo (pound) for example.

"We want to be sure that consumers are fully aware of the value of their money," one official said.

But EU states would not have to give up national traditions, Commission officials said. Denmark, for example, would still be able to sell eggs by weight even though other countries sell them by number.

Although the rules would apply to all retailers, smaller shops would have an extra four years to phase the system in, a Commission official said.

The transitional arrangement would be reviewed after two years and "We do not exclude the possibility of prolonging it," the official said.

Commission officials played down opposition by retailers to the plans, saying any small extra cost would be outweighed by benefits to the consumers.

The plans will be examined by the Commission next week and have to be endorsed by EU consumer affairs ministers before coming into force.