National Measurement Office
The Consumer Rights Bill was introduced into Parliament on 23 January 2014. One of its provisions will exempt bakers who make up bread to be sold unwrapped or in open packs from keeping records of checks of the weight of the bread, under the Weight and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006. It will also remove the power which allows trading standards officers to exempt bakers from keeping these records.
This change will relieve bakers of the burden of keeping records of their weight checks, benefiting small and large businesses, from independent bakers to supermarket in-store bakeries. It will also remove the bureaucracy from bakers applying and Trading Standards issuing exemption certificates and remove any inconsistency in their use. Bakers may choose to continue to keep records of their checks for due diligence purposes, but they will no longer be required to do so. This is estimated to save business in the region of 600, 000 a year. However, consumer protection will be maintained as bakers will still have to ensure that the quantity of their bread is accurate, and Trading Standards may still choose to carry out inspections of the business, in accordance with the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006.
The changes are expected to come into force later this year.
For further information please email: lynnette.falk@bis.gsi.gov.uk.