Magento: reformat the price system wide for any locale to a consistent format width the event currency_display_options_forming

config.xml

<global>
  <events>
            <currency_display_options_forming>
                <observers>
                    <namespace_module_format_price>
                        <type>singleton</type>
                        <class>Namespace_Module_Model_Observer_FormatPrice</class>
                        <method>formatPrice</method>
                    </namespace_module_format_price>
                </observers>
            </currency_display_options_forming>
  </events>
</global>

FormatPrice.php

<?php

class Namespace_Module_Model_Observer_FormatPrice
{
    public function formatPrice(Varien_Event_Observer $observer)
    {
        $event   = $observer->getEvent();
        $options = $event->getCurrencyOptions();

        /**
         * Options array
         *
         * The following options are available
         * 'position'  => Position for the currency sign
         * 'script'    => Script for the output
         * 'format'    => Locale for numeric output
         * 'display'   => Currency detail to show
         * 'precision' => Precision for the currency
         * 'name'      => Name for this currency
         * 'currency'  => 3 lettered international abbreviation
         * 'symbol'    => Currency symbol
         * 'locale'    => Locale for this currency
         * 'value'     => Money value
         * 'service'   => Exchange service to use
         *
         * @var array
         * @see Zend_Locale
         */
        $options->setData(array(
            'position' => Zend_Currency::LEFT,
            'display'  => Zend_Currency::USE_SHORTNAME,
        ));

    }
}