Statutory Instruments
1987 No. 1538
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
The Weights and Measures (Quantity Marking and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1987
Made
1st September 1987
Laid before Parliament
14th September 1987
Coming into force
1st January 1988
Whereas the Secretary of State pursuant to section 86(2) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985(1) has consulted such organisations as appear to him to be representative of interests substantially affected by these Regulations:
Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of powers conferred on him by sections 15(1)(g), 23(1)(a), (d), 48(1)(a), (1A), 66, 68(1), (1A) (a), 86(1) and 94(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:
PART IPRELIMINARY
Citation, commencement, revocation and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Weights and Measures (Quantity Marking and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 1st January 1988.
(2) The Weights and Measures (Marking of Goods and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1975(2), the Weights and Measures (Marking of Goods and Abbreviations of Units) (Amendment) Regulations 1977(3) and the Weights and Measures (Marking of Goods and Abbreviations of Units) (Amendment) Regulations 1980(4) are hereby revoked.
(3) In these Regulations, “the Act” means the Weights and Measures Act 1985.
PART IIQUANTITY MARKING OF CONTAINERS AND UNITS OF MEASUREMENT TO BE USED IN MARKING
Application
2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, this Part of these Regulations shall apply in respect of—
(a)the manner of the marking of any container required by or under Part IV of the Act or section 48(1) or (1A) or 68(1A) to be marked with information as to quantity; and
(b)the units of measurement to be used in marking any container required by or under Part IV of the Act to be marked with information as to quantity by measurement.
(2) Regulations 5 and 6 shall not apply in relation to any catchweight product.
(3) In this regulation “catchweight product” means any product which is not pre-packed according to a pre-determined fixed weight pattern, but is pre-packed in varying quantities.
Marking with quantity by measurement
3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, the marking of any container with information as to quantity by measurement shall comprise the numerical value of the unit of measurement expressed in words or figures and a reference to that unit expressed either in words or by means of the relevant symbol or abbreviation which may lawfully be used for trade in relation to that unit under Part III of these Regulations.
(2) Where the numerical value of the unit of measurement is expressed in words, the reference to that unit shall be expressed in words and not by means of a symbol or abbreviation.
(3) Any marking with information as to quantity by gross weight shall include the word “gross” or the words “including container” or other words which indicate that the marked weight includes the weight of the container.
(4) No abbreviation of the word “net” or “gross” shall be used in the marking.
(5) Subject to paragraphs (6) and (7) below, a metric quantity used in the marking shall not be expressed as a vulgar fraction.
(6) For a period of 6 months after these Regulations come into force a metric quantity used in the marking may be expressed as one of the following vulgar fractions namely one half or ½, or one quarter or ¼, of the unit of measurement.
(7) For a period of 1 year after these Regulations come into force a person shall not be guilty of an offence under section 25(2) of the Act by reason only of—
(a)having in his possession for sale, or
(b)having in his possession for delivery after sale, or
(c)causing or suffering any other person to have in his possession for sale or for delivery after sale,
any goods pre-packed or otherwise made up in or on a container for sale, or for delivery after sale, where a metric quantity used in the marking is expressed as one of the said vulgar fractions.
Legibility and position of marking
4.—(1) Any marking of a container with information as to quantity—
(a)shall be easy to understand, clearly legible and indelible;
(b)shall be easily visible to an intending purchaser under normal conditions of purchase;
(c)shall not in any way be hidden, obscured or interrupted by any other written or pictorial matter; and
(d)if it is not on the actual container or on a label securely attached to the container, shall be so placed that it cannot be removed without opening the container.
(2) Where, pursuant to regulation 7(3) below, the words “metric pack” are included in any marking, those words shall appear within a surrounding line or on a panel which is clearly distinguished in colour from its surroundings and within which or on which there is no other written and no pictorial matter.
Size of marking
5.—(1) Subject to regulation 2(2) above, where in any marking of any container the quantity by number or the numerical value of a unit of measurement is expressed in figures, all the relevant figures shall be at least the height specified in the second column of the Table set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations in relation to—
(a)where the marking is of mass or weight, capacity or volume, the range of quantity specified in the first column of that Table, appropriate to the measurement being marked, within which the quantity of goods made up in or on that container falls, (or where the goods are made up in an imperial quantity, within which the metric equivalent of that quantity falls); or
(b)where the marking is of area, length or number, the range of size of container so specified within which the size of the container in or on which the goods are made up falls, being a size calculated in accordance with the provisions of that Schedule.
(2) Where, pursuant to regulation 7(3) below, the words “metric pack” are included in any marking, those words shall appear in capital letters of at least the height referred to in paragraph (1) above.
(3) The numerator and denominator together indicating a vulgar fraction of a unit of measurement shall appear one on top of the other and for the purposes of paragraph (1) above shall be treated as a single figure.
Imperial and metric units of measurement
6.—(1) Subject to regulation 2(2) above and paragraph (2) below, the marking of any container with information as to quantity by measurement shall be in metric units of measurement but may, in addition, be in imperial units.
(2) In the case of any goods required by or under Part IV of the Act to be pre-packed or otherwise made up in or on a container for sale, or for delivery after sale, only if made up either in specified imperial or metric quantities or in specified imperial quantities only, the marking of quantity shall be in both metric and imperial units.
7.—(1) Where the marking of quantity is in both metric and imperial units of measurement, the following provisions of this regulation shall apply.
(2) The marking shall indicate the quantity in terms of the same measurement in the imperial system of units as in the metric system.
(3) In the case of any goods required by or under Part IV of the Act to be pre-packed or otherwise made up in or on a container for sale, or for delivery after sale, only if made up in specified quantities, the marking shall—
(a)first indicate the quantity in which they are made up; and
(b)if the quantity in which they are made up is in metric units, include the words “metric pack”.
(4) In any other case the marking may indicate the quantity first in either imperial or metric units.
(5) The indications of quantity in imperial and metric units shall be of equal size and shall be distinct but in close proximity to each other and nothing shall be inserted between them.
(6) Notwithstanding anything in regulation 10 of the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986(5), in the case of cows' milk and goats' milk any marking of any quantity in imperial units shall be entirely in terms of the pint, quart or gallon.
(7) In paragraph (6) above, “cows' milk” means cows' milk in any liquid form other than that of condensed milk within the meaning of the Condensed Milk and Dried Milk Regulations 1977(6) (including evaporated milk) or of cream.
Units of measurement to be used in marking
8. Subject to regulation 7(6) above, the units of measurement to be used in marking any container with information as to quantity by measurement are those set out in Columns 2 and 3 of Schedule 2 to these Regulations, appropriate to the measurement being marked set out in Column 1.
Amendment of the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986
9.—(1) Regulation 10 of the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986 shall be amended as follows:—
(a)subject to paragraph (2) below, in paragraph (1)—
(i)for “Paragraphs (2) to (7) of this Regulation have” there shall be substituted “This regulation has”; and
(ii)the words “and the manner in which the statement is to be marked” shall be deleted;
(b)in paragraph (2)(a) for “the Weights and Measures (Marking of Goods and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1975” there shall be substituted “the Weights and Measures (Quantity Marking and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1987”; and
(c)subject to paragraph (2) below, paragraphs (7) and (8) shall be deleted.
(2) In the case of packages containing poultry, but not including part only of any poultry:
(a)paragraph (1)(c) above shall not apply; and
(b)for paragraph 1(B)(c)(ii) of Part I of Schedule 3 to the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986 there shall be substituted “for Regulation 10(7) there were substituted the words “In the case of packages other than packages marked with the EEC mark the principal Regulations shall apply as if Regulations 3(3) and (4), 5 and 7(3) to (7) and Schedule 1 were omitted and as if in Regulation 6(1) for the words “metric units” onwards there were substituted “imperial or metric units or in both imperial and metric units””.”
PART IIIUSE FOR TRADE OF ABBREVIATIONS OF, OR SYMBOLS FOR, UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
10. This Part of these Regulations shall apply as respects the use for trade (other than for the purpose of marking weighing or measuring equipment) of abbreviations of, or symbols for, units of measurement.
11.—(1) Only those symbols or abbreviations set out in Column 2 of Schedule 3 to these Regulations may be used for trade to indicate the relevant unit of measurement set out in Column 1 of that Schedule.
(2) In the case only of an abbreviation of an imperial unit so set out, the letter "s' may be added to it, when appropriate, to indicate the plural.
Francis Maude
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Department of Trade and Industry
1st September 1987
Regulation 5
SCHEDULE 1TABLE OF SIZE OF FIGURES IN QUANTITY MARKING OF CONTAINERS
1
2
Mass or weight of goods
Minimum height of figures
For the purposes of this Schedule, the size of a container shall be treated as equal—
(a)
in the case of a rectilinear or approximately rectilinear container, to its height, length or width whichever is the greatest;
(b)
in the case of a container with curvilinear or approximately curvilinear cross section, its height or maximum diameter, whichever is the greater.
Not exceeding 50 g
2 mm
Exceeding 50 g but not exceeding 200 g
3 mm
Exceeding 200 g but not exceeding 1 kg
4 mm
Exceeding 1 kg
6 mm
Capacity of goods
Not exceeding 5 cl
2 mm
Exceeding 5 cl but not exceeding 20 cl
3 mm
Exceeding 20 cl but not exceeding 1 L
4 mm
Exceeding 1 L
6 mm
Volume of goods
Not exceeding 200 cm3
3 mm
Exceeding 200 cm3 but not exceeding 1000 cm3
4 mm
Exceeding 1000 cm3
6 mm
Not exceeding 5 cl
2 mm
Exceeding 5 cl but not exceeding 20 cl
3 mm
Exceeding 20 cl but not exceeding 1 L
4 mm
Exceeding 1 L
6 mm
Area, length and number
Size of container
Not exceeding 12 cm
2 mm
Exceeding 12 cm but not exceeding 30 cm
3 mm
Exceeding 30 cm but not exceeding 45 cm
4 mm
Exceeding 45 cm
6 mm
Regulation 8
SCHEDULE 2UNITS OF MEASUREMENT TO BE USED IN QUANTITY MARKING
1
2
3
Measurement
Metric unit
Imperial unit
Length
metre
yard
centimetre
foot
millimetre
inch
Area
square metre
square yard
square decimetre
square foot
square centimetre
Volume
cubic metre
cubic centimetre
litre
centilitre
millilitre
Capacity
litre
gallon
centilitre
quart
millilitre
pint
fluid ounce
Mass or weight
kilogram
pound
gram
ounce
Regulation 11
SCHEDULE 3SYMBOLS FOR AND ABBREVIATIONS OF UNITS OF MEASUREMENT WHICH MAY BE USED FOR TRADE
PART IMETRIC UNITS
1
2
Unit of measurement
Symbol
metre
m
centimetre
cm
millimetre
mm
square metre
m2
square decimetre
dm2
square centimetre
cm2
cubic metre
m3
cubic centimetre
cm3
litre
1 or L
decilitre
dl or dL
centilitre
cl or cL
millilitre
ml or mL
tonne
t
kilogram
kg
hectogram
hg
gram
g
milligram
mg
PART IIIMPERIAL UNITS
1
2
Unit of measurement
Abbreviation
yard
yd
foot
ft
inch
in
square yard
sq yd
square foot
sq ft
gallon
gal
quart
qt
pint
pt
fluid ounce
fl oz
pound
lb
ounce
oz
Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations consolidate with amendments the Weights and Measures (Marking of Goods and Abbreviations of Units) Regulations 1975, as amended. Part II makes provision as to the manner in which quantities are to be marked on those containers of goods which are required to be marked under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 with information as to quantity. They also make provision for the units of measurement to be used in marking the containers required to be marked under Part IV of the Act. Part III makes provision with respect to the abbreviations of (or symbols for) units of measurement which may lawfully be used for trade, other than for the purpose of marking weighing or measuring equipment.
A number of detailed provisions in the 1975 Regulations have been omitted as to the manner of quantity marking having regard to the provisions for legibility and position of marking which has to be easy to understand, clearly legible and indelible and easily visible under normal conditions of purchase. Detailed restrictions on the use of fractions of imperial and metric units of measurement have also been omitted.
The separate provisions in regulation 10(7) and (8) of the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986, which prescribed the manner in which quantity marking statements are marked on packages sold by weight or volume under the system commonly known as “the average system”, are now replaced by these Regulations. Consequential amendments to certain other provisions of regulation 10 of the 1986 Regulations are also made.
(1)
1985 c. 72; Section 68(1) defines “regulations”, Sections 48(1A) and 68 (1A) have effect by virtue of the modifications to Part V of the Act made by paragraphs 2(b) and 8(b) of Part II of Schedule 3 to the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986/2049) and Section 94(1) defines “prescribed”.
(2)
S.I. 1975/1319.
(3)
S.I. 1977/1683.
(4)
S.I. 1980/8.
(5)
S.I. 1986/2049.
(6)
S.I. 1977/928, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.
