Officers of the Weights and Measures Unit (SDT), Industry and Business Ecosystem Division under the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) visited supermarkets in the Gadong area yesterday and found products that failed to comply with the Act.
The Enforcement Operation was carried out to ensure that any person, selling or offering for sale through retail, complies to Chapter 151 of the Weights and Measures Act, including ensuring any machines used to weigh and measure for business purposes are registered and verified.
During the inspection, SDT officers found products that failed to comply with the Act.
The companies involved were issued with a reminder notice and required to attend the Weights and Measures Unit Office within seven working days to rectify the issue.
According to Director of the Industry and Ecosystem Division Allen On, who joined the operation, SDT conducts inspections on business premises, petrol station and industrial sites to ensure that all goods that are sold to consumers in the Sultanate comply with the Act to ensure that consumers’ rights are being protected.
Retailers were reminded to ensure that any pre-packed goods sold to consumers are required by the Act to carry a correct and clear indication of the net weight or measure of the product, in a position on the item which can be clearly seen.
Failure to comply with the Act is an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of BND500 and three months’ imprisonment.
Traders and users of weight and measures machine are required to comply as stipulated in Section 3(2) of the Weights and Measures (Verification) Regulations, 1994; “Every person who uses or has in his possession for use for trade any weight, measure or instrument for weighing not stamped as required by this regulation shall be guilty of an offence.
“The penalty for such offence is a fine of BND1,000 or imprisonment for three months or both.
“Furthermore, any non-stamped instrument used shall be liable to be forfeited and any contract, bargain, sale or dealing made by such weight, measure or instrument for weighing will be deemed void.”