Is your supermarket ripping you off?

Australian supermarkets have been slammed for ripping off its customers by incorrectly weighing grocery items.

Falsely advertised weights are costing customers dearly, but there’s about to be a crackdown.

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The five key supermarket chains – Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Costco – will be the subject of a two-week blitz later this year by the federal government agency responsible for making sure consumers get what they pay for.

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The National Measurement Institute plans to visit 8000 businesses this year, inspect 60,000 lines of packaged goods, test 10,000 scales and other measuring instruments, and make 1000 ‘secret shopper’ trial purchases to make sure businesses have the correct weight (volume, length and number) whenever they sell goods by measurement.

Which goods are most at risk?

In the two-week nationwide ‘blitz’ of the major supermarket chains, the concentrated audit will focus on trading practices and the accuracy of equipment, with particular attention on frozen foods.

The supermarkets will need to ensure that the declared weight of pre-packaged frozen seafood does not include and ice or glaze and that they’re not adding water to make up the weight.

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A review of sales of grain and grain products looking at how farmers are paid based on quality measurements such as protein and moisture content, and the accuracy of fuel dispensers are also on the target list.

“If you’re using a measuring instrument such as a scale to determine a price, you need to ensure that instrument is an approved type and accurate at all times,” Assistant Minister Senator Seselja said.

“You must ensure that any packaged goods you’re selling contain the amount stated on the label”.

He added that there would be penalties for businesses that breach the law.

“While we recognise that most businesses want to do the right thing and will usually quickly correct any errors, where we find severe or persistent offenders we can impose fines or initiate prosecutions.”