Guernsey’s weights and measures legislation could be brought into line with the UK’s following a consultation which has just begun.
For the next six weeks, Trading Standards wants feedback on the proposed changes which, it says, will put the Bailiwick on a level playing field with the rest of the British Isles.
The proposed changes include the removal of all controls over the quantities in which the majority of pre-packed foods can be packed, changes to the rules relating to pre-packed and unwrapped bread, the introduction of 2/3 pint as a legal measure for the sale of draught beer and cider, the introduction of metric units and quantities to bring the law up-to-date and the removal of controls on pre-packed liquor produced for duty free sale outside the Bailiwick or the EU.
Imperial units of measurement, such as pounds and ounces or gallons and pints, will continue to be legal under the proposed changes, which also allow the sale of herbs by net weight, by number, or by the bunch.
Chief Trading Standards Officer, David Mullins, said: “The current Weights and Measures law in Guernsey and Alderney is out of date when compared to the UK and Europe. The changes centre on three specific areas, namely the deregulation of prescribed quantities, the modernisation of the law to reflect changes in trade practices, and a number of changes to how intoxicating liquor is regulated, including an update of definitions of intoxicating liquor to achieve consistency with Guernsey Customs and Excise legislation.”
You can see the consultation and give your feedback here.
