Retail Scales & Shop Scales
Retail Scales or Shop Scales, as they are sometimes referred to, are digital weighing scales used to calculate a price based on weight. Most retail scales have access to a front and rear display for the user and customer, and include built-in PLUs, also known as price look-ups, for quickly recalling the price of your most popular products based on the product's weight.
In many countries, it is a government requirement for a retail scale to be approved to a standard often called Trade Approved. In the UK and across the European Community, it is a legal requirement for anyone selling goods by weight to ensure the weighing scales they are using are trade approved. Trade approved scales are often labelled as trade stamped, trade approved, CE stamped, verified, class III approved, shop scales, OIML approved to name just a few.
To ensure your retail weighing scale is correct or fit for purpose, your weighing scale must have a sticker with the letter "M" in black on it, a pale blue sticker with an identification number of the verifier (the person who has tested the accuracy) and a CE mark. Also ensure that all seals on the balance are intact.
There are many varieties of retail scale on the market. Typical applications include checkweighing, parts counting and coin counting features. They can be combined with label printers for issuing receipts on commercial transactions.
Please contact us if you require more details on retail scales, trade approved scales or label printing scale accessories.
Related Articles
What does the acronym OIML stand for and why is it important?
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£475.00 (Ex.VAT)- Max Capacity Range
- 1000kg to 3000kg
- Readability Range
- 0.2kg to 1kg
PT platform scales are large heavy duty scales designed for weighing pallets, crates and large containers in busy industrial warehouse and factory environments. Manufactured by Adam Equipment with durable diamond-plate steel surface, adjustable levelling feet and up to 3000kg weight capacity. PT platforms are compatible with all Adam count and weight indicators for performing checkweighing, parts counting and dynamic/ animal weighing.
Large industrial platform floor scale ideal for large and oversized items.
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£840.00 (Ex.VAT)- Max Capacity Range
- 50kg to 300kg
- Readability Range
- 5g to 100g
The Kern SFB Stainless Steel Platform Scales offer a high level of protection being IP65 rated, these scales are made from Stainless Steel making these plaform scales a good choice for the food industry and other wet environments.
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£330.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £465.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 8000g to 150kg
- Readability Range
- 0.5g to 10g
Adam Equipment Warrior washdown scales are grade 304 stainless steel, IP-66 rated washdown scales well-suited to food production, laboratory, industrial and other harsh environments. Durable and dependable, the Warrior makes for an effective waterproof weighing scale without the risk of internal damage to the scale interior.
Wide selection of bench and floor scales models available to suit almost any commercial weighing application.
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£236.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £295.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 30kg to 150kg
- Readability Range
- 2g to 10g
A&D's FG bench platform scale offers exceptional value and is suitable for both bench or floor mount. Highly-efficient platform scale for postal and parcel weighing in distribution and warehouse environments. Trade approved models available.
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£566.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £805.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 6000g to 30kg
- Readability Range
- 2g to 10g
The FS-i checkweighing scale performs best in product preparation and packaging environments. It's fully stainless steel construction ensures longevity in the harshest areas. Easy to clean, UK trade approved platform scale for selling goods by weight.
A&D's heavy-duty checkweigher scale for industrial and commercial weighing applications.
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£59.00 (Ex.VAT)- Max Capacity Range
- 180kg to 180kg
- Readability Range
- 50g to 50g
The Inscale IPS platform Floor or Bench Parcel scale comes in a single capacity of 180kg and has a plate size of 380 x 280mm base. The display is wall mountable away from the base for easy positioning anywhere. Supplied with UK mains adapter. Easy to use simple weighing with optional weighing units in Kg or lbs.
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£86.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £95.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 1000g to 30kg
- Readability Range
- 0.5g to 20g
A low cost Bench Scale, the SJ-HS is ideally suited to any basic weighing application. Featuring capacities up to 12 kg and a settling time of less than 1 second the SJ-HS will meet all product packing requirements.
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£63.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £70.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 120g to 5100g
- Readability Range
- 0.01g to 1g
The HT is an affordable compact scale with a capacity up to 5kg (1g resolution) and a displayed resolution of 0.1g (500g capacity). This scale comes packaged in a portable perspex carry case perfect for field experiments and general outdoor weighing applications.
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£167.00 (Ex.VAT)RRP £185.00 (Excl.VAT)
- Max Capacity Range
- 300g to 3000g
- Readability Range
- 0.1g to 1g
Fully stainless steel top loading balances suitable for harsh environments. Ideally suited for food preparation. Capacities range from 300g to 3000g with increments from 0.1g to 1g.
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£46.00 (Ex.VAT)- Max Capacity Range
- 500g to 3000g
- Readability Range
- 0.1g to 1g
The CB is a compact portable scale for conducting simple weighing applications. Compact, affordable and easy to use scales ideally suited for use in school classroom experiments and commercial kitchens.
Cheap compact scale ideal for entry-level weighing applications.
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Retail Help
The M symbol has changed
The M-mark and sticker that identifies scales as being verified as 'use for trade' has been changed from green to black. Some older stickers may also show a black M on a green background.
Q: What are some examples of businesses that need to use an approved scale?
- Ice cream and frozen yogurt shops selling tubs commercially with a specified weight limit.
- Greengrocers, supermarkets and farmer's market stalls for selling fruits and vegetables by weight.
- Delis, fishmongers and butchers shops for selling meat in pounds, grams or kilos.
- Coffee shops and tearooms that sell coffee beans, tea and spices per scoop or in packets specifying a weight.
- Cosmetics manufacturers use retail scales with trade approvals for ensuring that packaged creams, gels, soaps and perfumes meet the weight limit specified on the product label. The 'e' symbol next to the weight value ensures the customers that the product is not under or over the specified weight.
- Confectionary stores and chocolatiers that sell sweets and other confectionary in packets, or shops that have a pick'n'mix counter.
- Laundries use trade approved retail checkweighing scales for selling bundles of wet and dry laundry by weight.
- Scrap metal dealers also use scales to buy and sell by weight.
Q: Are there penalties for not using a retail scale that is trade approved??
A: It depends on the local law. In many countries it is illegal for anyone selling goods by weight to use a non-approved scale. From a legal point of view you could get inspected and lose your scale or be forbidden from using it, resulting in a loss of money and an inability to continue doing business. In addition, you may be fined, and sometimes even be jailed.
Aside from legal reasons, your customers may mistrust you, believing you could be trying to cheat them out of their money. Word of mouth could spread that you are not using compliant scales, causing people to avoid your business.
Take a look at our range of trade approved scales.
