Trade with Commodities: Standardisation of product weights, prices a must

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Standardisation of product weights, prices a must

If one soap bar weighs 88gm and another 100gm, would a consumer be able to quickly compare prices of both brands to make an informed buying decision?
    Since uniform pack sizes are not compulsory, Ahmedabad-based Consumer Education & Research Centre (CERC) will soon move the ministry of consumer affairs with a suggestion to allow for comparison of non-standard sized products. CERC's Pritee Shah proposes that every such product must carry the unit price per 50gm, 100gm or other popular standards on its pack label.
    In an earlier conversation with TOI, Ankush Dhanvijay, inspector general of police and controller of legal metrology department, Maharashtra, had mentioned that the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976, laid down that all packages had to be of a particular standard quantity, say, 100mm. The law, though, was amended. According to the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2006, standard packaging was no longer a must. "But there is one condition. The package must mention that a particular product is not a standard pack size under the Standards of Weights and Measures Rules.''
    An official in the ministry of consumer affairs says the amendment was made to create a level playing field for local manufacturers and importers who could fill any package size. The official goes on to assure, "If a manufacturer reduces a product's quantity from, say, 50gm to 40gm, without changing the price, market competition will see to it that this narrow approach will not be successful. Those who cheat consumers won't survive.''
    The official adds that a year ago, an inter-ministerial committee was set up to rationalise labelling requirements under various laws, including the Weights and Measures Rules. "Their decision is under consideration.'' Even as a solution to weight standards is being worked out, a recent paper on package labelling by Delhi's Sri Ram Khanna and Savita Hanspal reiterates that if the same commodity is packed in a large variety of sizes, it confuses a consumer.
    "This proliferation of weights or measures, in which a commodity is available, is detrimental to consumers interests, and therefore, needs regulation."
    R Desikan of Chennai's Concert agrees: "Modification in regulation is absolutely necessary. Manufacturers have exploited variation in rules. We suggest a few desirable and popular weights and measurement standards are put in place,'' he says.