DS Forums

 
 

Underweight marked-weight food products


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-08-2013, 14:35
SequShor
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 285

A while ago I opened a 250g tub of spreadable butter, and immediately thought - no way that's a full "250g".

So I put it on my kitchen scales, and including the tub came to about 220g.

Since then, I have weighed every tub of spreadable butter / margarine that we've bought (we chop and change brands) and none has registered the full "advertised" weight.

I presume there's an acceptable tolerance on weight marked products and I'll have to calibrate my scales before launching off some strongly worded letters but just wondered if anyone else had noticed similar, or if you've got an unopened tub of butter or marge in the fridge stick it on your scales as see what you get....
SequShor is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 05-08-2013, 15:04
stud u like
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
Send for Mr. Pinkwhistle, he always puts wrongs right.
stud u like is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2013, 15:50
cbe21ok
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Close to the Toon
Posts: 1,465
Never weighed butter before but have done with packets of crisps on digital scales thinking they seemed underweight but they never are.
cbe21ok is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2013, 16:13
Watcher #1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Here <-------------
Posts: 6,644
There are indeed 'acceptable' levels of underweight, which are related to the stated weight.

I can't remember the rules, but there are rules on the average you achieve (which has to be equal to or higher than the claimed weight), and what were termed T1 and T2. One of those (I think it's T2) is an absolute minimum, below which it is illegal to sell, and that should be rejected in the factory.

220g of spread on a 250g pack is (IIRC) sailing close to the wind, but your local council TS should be able to advise.

EDIT: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/nmo/doc...ugust-2007.pdf

9g is the tolerance for that pack size. Complain!
Watcher #1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-2013, 19:14
goldberry1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northern England
Posts: 2,596
I recently bought a container of mixed herbs, Co-op's own brand - it was the cheapest they had - when I used it I realised that though quite a big container the level of the herbs was low - more than just 'settling'.They're nice herbs and I like Co-op stuff so I didn't bother taking it back. It could have been a one off I suppose.
goldberry1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-08-2013, 13:46
JinnyJinxed
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London
Posts: 790
A while ago I opened a 250g tub of spreadable butter, and immediately thought - no way that's a full "250g".

So I put it on my kitchen scales, and including the tub came to about 220g.

Since then, I have weighed every tub of spreadable butter / margarine that we've bought (we chop and change brands) and none has registered the full "advertised" weight.

I presume there's an acceptable tolerance on weight marked products and I'll have to calibrate my scales before launching off some strongly worded letters but just wondered if anyone else had noticed similar, or if you've got an unopened tub of butter or marge in the fridge stick it on your scales as see what you get....
Yes! I frequently find products underweight from products in every supermarket.

I often write letters, & get vouchers back for another identical product, or cash voucher. Its worth doing.

Also include a line in your letter, if posting, about the cost of posting the letter so you get that refunded too.
JinnyJinxed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-08-2013, 18:21
Victoria Sponge
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK Garage, GoT, Brasil & steak
Posts: 10,505
That's a piss take, re: the spread. I would be pissed if I needed that amount for caking and found that I'd been short-changed, perhaps with no time to go and get more.
Victoria Sponge is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:56.