According to one embodiment, a commodity information browsing system includes a shelf label apparatus including a first storing section and a first transmitting section, a portable terminal including a first receiving section, a notifying section, a second receiving section, and a display section, and a server apparatus including a second storing section and a second transmitting section. The first transmitting section transmits, by radio, one shelf label code among a plurality of shelf label codes. The notifying section notifies the server apparatus of the shelf label code. The second storing section stores association information representing a relation between the shelf label codes and commodity information. The second transmitting section determines, on the basis of the association information, the commodity information associated with the notified shelf label code and transmits the relevant commodity information to the portable terminal. The display section displays an image based on the commodity information.