Retail
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 (price look ups), 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.
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.
