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Weights and Measures

A reliable, well regulated system for weights and measures controls is one of the fundamental tenets of an effective regime of consumer protection.

The system must be one in which consumers can have confidence, so that when they make a purchase they do so in the knowledge that they are not being sold short weight or measure. Businesses, too, must be protected from unscrupulous competitors who would seek to gain an unfair competitive advantage by flouting the law.

In the UK, transactions in goods by weight or measure are, in most cases, regulated by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and its secondary legislation the Weights and Packaged Goods Regulations 2006.

Metric units of measurement are now used for most transactions regulated by the Weights and Measures Act 1985. In addition, it is Government policy to encourage the adoption of the metric system for other purposes, including public administration.

Who Does What

Consumer & Competition Policy Directorate at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is responsible for the policy on those provisions of the Weights and Measures Act aimed at (i) protecting the consumer against being sold shortweight; and (ii) providing consumers with information about the weight or volume of goods before they commit themselves to a purchase. But this work is being transferred to NWML (see below)

The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) is responsible for the provisions of the Weights and Measures Act relating to measuring equipment and definitions of units of measurement.

Trading Standards Departments of Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing weights and measures law.

If you are a business or member of the public who has a query or complaint regarding the law on weights and measures please contact Consumer Direct at: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk (Tel: 08454 04 05 06). Consumers in Northern Ireland should contact Consumer Line on 0845 600 6262.