Weights and Measures Legislation (Scotland)

The Weights And Measures Act 1985

Section 28 of the 1985 Act makes short weight an offence. Orders made under Section 22 require most pre-packed food to carry on the container an indication of the net quantity of the contents. When sold other than pre-packed, most food is required to be sold either by quantity or by number. The seller has to make the quantity known to the purchaser. Orders made under the Act limit the quantities in which certain goods may be pre-packed when offered for retail sale (prescribed quantities).

Part V of the 1985 Act provides for the 'average' system of quantity control for prepacked goods.

The average system is designed primarily for application at the point of production or importation and requires the packer or importer to ensure that packages will pass an Inspector's reference test.

The Act is amended by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 (Metrication) (Amendment) Order 1994 and the Units of Measurement Regulations 1994.

SI 1986 No 2049 The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986 - provide for the detailed application of the average system.

These Regulations are amended by:

SI 1992 No 1580 The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) (Amendment) Regulations 1992;

SI 1994 No 1258 The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) (Amendment) Regulations 1994;

SI 1994 No 1852 The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods and Quantity Marking and Abbreviation of Units) (Amendment) Regulations 1994.

These Regulations implement EC Directive 75/106/EEC as amended by Directives 78/891/EEC and 79/005/EEC on the making up by volume of certain pre-packaged liquids and EC Directive 76/211/EEC as amended by 78/891/EEC on the making up by weight or volume of certain pre-packed products where they relate to the average system.

SI 1987 No 1538 The Weights and Measures (Quantity Marking and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1987 - prescribe the units of measurement to be used for quantity marking, the manner of marking and the permitted symbols and abbreviations.

These Regulations are amended by:
SI 1988 No 627 The Weights and Measures (Quantity Marking and Abbreviations of Units) (Amendment) Regulations 1988;

SI 1994 No 1852 The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods and Quantity Marking and Abbreviation of Units) (Amendment) Regulations 1994.

SI 1986 No 1082 The Units of Measurement Regulations 1986 - define and authorise the use of SI units of measurements for economic, health, safety and administrative purposes and provide that certain imperial and other units are no longer authorised for the same purposes.

These Regulations are amended by:

SI 1994 No 2867 The Units of Measurement Regulations 1994. These Regulations implement the Units of Measurement Directive 80/181/EEC as amended by Directives 85/10/EEC and 89/617/EEC.

Enquiries concerning weights and measures legislation (i.e. prescribed quantity legislation, packaged goods regulations, drained weight, unit pricing legislation, marking of goods and sales of loose goods (including draught beer and wine by the glass) and Metrication should be addressed to the Consumer Affairs Directorate, Department of Trade and Industry, Room 459, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET. (Telephone (0)20-7215-0334).

Enquiries concerning the units of measurement legislation should be addressed to the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Stanton Avenue, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 OJZ. (Telephone (0)20-8943-7272 or 7277).