Happy Weights and Measures Week 2020!
Weights and Measures week is celebrated every year from March 1-7, to commemorate President John Adams signing the first U.S. weights and measures legislation into law on March 2, 1799. To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look at some of the ways that North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services weights and measures inspectors protect consumers’ wallets every day.
At the Pump
Weights and measures inspectors are responsible for making sure that gas pumps give accurate readings for how much gas they dispense. Whenever you fill up your car, a weights and measures inspector has made sure that you are getting everything you pay for. Inspectors also keep an eye out for hidden credit card skimmers that could be planted inside pumps.
From the gas station to right at home, inspectors also make sure that customers who rely on propane for heating are getting their money’s worth as well. Using a machine called a prover, inspectors check the propane truck’s meter to make sure it is giving an accurate reading.
In the Supermarket
Weights and measures inspectors are also tasked with making sure that the food you buy at the supermarket has the correct weight on the packaging. When you buy a pound of ground beef or a gallon of milk, you can be confident that you’ve gotten your money’s worth thanks to weights and measures inspectors. After consumers have picked up their products, it’s important to make sure that they are being charged what they expect to be charged for the goods they buy. The NCDA&CS Standards Division conducts quarterly inspections at retail locations across the state to make sure that price scanners are functioning properly and consumers are not being overcharged.
Visit the Standards Division web page for safety tips, contacts, license information and much more.