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Weighing scales in shops

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  • 21-06-2014 9:08pm
    #1
    Sam Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,227 ✭✭✭


    There are about four hot and cold food self service bars where you scoop out the food into plastic containers in my local Supervalu. The only place to find out the price is at the till when they scan them through. Is there any law for shops that they must have scales for customers to price their products? Its extremely annoying to not know the price before you get to the till. The only prices displayed are per KG, which is obviously no good.


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    #2
    Agent_99
    Registered Users Posts: 918 ✭✭✭Agent_99


    The price of the salads depends on the size of the container you use, small, med or large. Look at the signs above the salad bar then look at the bar code printed on the tub it says the size


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    #3
    fastrac
    Registered Users Posts: 718 ✭✭✭fastrac


    Salad bar in our local Centra charges 10 Euro/KG for all items Which I think is very expensive.No scales at the salad bar to check your weights.


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    #4
    Sam Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,227 ✭✭✭Sam Mac


    Agent_99 wrote: »
    The price of the salads depends on the size of the container you use, small, med or large. Look at the signs above the salad bar then look at the bar code printed on the tub it says the size

    Not what I'm talking about.

    There are no set prices per container, its all done by weight.


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    #5
    ben.schlomo
    Registered Users Posts: 12,183 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    Sam Mac wrote: »
    Not what I'm talking about.

    There are no set prices per container, its all done by weight.

    If its done by weight then their should be a shelf edge label there telling you the price per kilo, wont give you your exact price but im sure it covers the store.


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    #6
    kbell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭kbell


    That still doesn't allow you to make an informed purchase.
    Imagine a petrol pump with just a sticker displaying price per litre but with no way of measuring what you're pumping.


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    #7
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,785 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    It does always feels a bit like a scam to me, same with those sweets you buy by weight. Do they provide a scales for fruit and veg weighing? There is usually a scales provided for your knowledge for veg in shops where they weigh and price at the checkout


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    #8
    phildin
    Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭phildin


    There are some EU directives covering this, for example,

    Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments (NAWI) directive (2009/23/EC)
    Measuring Instruments directive (MID) (2004/22/EC)

    but the devil is always in the detail.

    The case I'm familiar with is where you have a point of sale (ePOS) system connected directly to a scale. In that case, both the scale and the ePOS needs to be certified by a certification body from an EU state (for example, NSAI in Ireland or National Measurement Office in UK). The certification in this case requires a customer facing display and is very specific about how weighed/measured items are presented to the customer both on the display and on the receipt.

    On the other hand, if the scale is not connected to the ePOS, then I believe it's a much more relaxed affair. The scale must be certified and calibrated (by trading standards officials) but not the ePOS. I don't think there is a requirement for a customer facing display on the scale and I don't think there is any requirement regarding how this information is presented to the customer.

    I don't follow this reasoning but this is the advice that I was given when I worked in the area. So in summary, it's poor customer service but I don't believe that it breaches any legal code.


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    #9
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    kbell wrote: »
    That still doesn't allow you to make an informed purchase.
    Imagine a petrol pump with just a sticker displaying price per litre but with no way of measuring what you're pumping.

    In most stores they will have a scales where you print the label and bring the box to the till. Unfortunately, many people fill weigh and price and they go back for more. Some places have now gone for a price per box and you stuff it as much as you can.


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    #10
    JohnC.
    Registered Users Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭JohnC.


    Even if there are no scales to check it yourself, you can still check it when it goes through the till. You don't have to buy it if it's more than you want to pay.


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    #11
    Sam Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,227 ✭✭✭Sam Mac


    Kahless wrote: »
    Even if there are no scales to check it yourself, you can still check it when it goes through the till. You don't have to buy it if it's more than you want to pay.

    Its still a pain in the ass to do that though.


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    #12
    ben.schlomo
    Registered Users Posts: 12,183 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    Sam Mac wrote: »
    Its still a pain in the ass to do that though.

    In fairness if youve an idea how much you want(which you should) then you shouldnt mind paying what it costs, if you dont want it that much you will leave it there.


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    #13
    Sam Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,227 ✭✭✭Sam Mac


    ben.schlomo wrote: »
    In fairness if youve an idea how much you want(which you should) then you shouldnt mind paying what it costs, if you dont want it that much you will leave it there.

    I suppose its just bad form on the shops part not to have a pricing scales, just adds extra hassle for customers.


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    #14
    ben.schlomo
    Registered Users Posts: 12,183 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    Sam Mac wrote: »
    I suppose its just bad form on the shops part not to have a pricing scales, just adds extra hassle for customers.

    Ya thats fair enough, if its a small shop id understand why they dont but no excuse for any large store.


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