Staffordshire Trading Standards ensures fair trading by checking the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment used by businesses.
Common questions
- Public weighbridges: A list is available. Contact the operator directly for prices and opening times.
- Complaints about short weight or measure: Contact the Trading Standards Business Advice team on 0300 111 8045.
- Discrepancies at home: Domestic kitchen scales may not be as accurate as commercial ones. If in doubt, contact Trading Standards.
- Trader’s scale accuracy: All equipment must pass independent testing before use.
- Metric vs imperial: Goods must be sold in metric units, but traders can still use imperial terms (e.g. “a pound of apples”) as long as the goods are weighed in metric.
- Conversions: Includes helpful metric conversion guidance for length, mass, and volume.
- “e” mark on packaging: Indicates average weight across a batch, not exact weight in each item.
- Fuel pump concerns: Pumps are tested and sealed, but perceived discrepancies may be due to price changes or gauge inaccuracies.
Contact
For business advice or equipment testing, contact the Trading Standards team.