Delaware News

Delaware consumers protected by work of weights and measures inspectors

Department of Agriculture | Date Posted: Friday, February 28, 2020


car with gas nozzle in tank

DOVER, Del. – Every day, Delaware consumers are protected by the work of the Weights and Measures inspectors at the Delaware Department of Agriculture. When consumers purchase products based on a weight or measurement – like a gallon of gas or a pound of lunch meat – the Department’s Weights and Measures section is responsible for ensuring those measurements are accurate, so consumers get what they pay for.

“Through Inspection and testing procedures our staff ensures the accuracy of all transactions whenever merchandise is bought or sold by weight, measure, or count. The goal is to eliminate the potential for fraud, carelessness, and misrepresentations during transactions,” said Steven Connors, Weights and Measures Administrator. “Not only are we protecting the consumer, but we also protect the business. The last thing a business wants to hear is they have a small error in measurement because that can lead to losses of thousands of dollars.”

The theme for this year’s National Weights and Measures Week, March 1-7, 2020 is “Building Weights and Measures’ Future by Sharing Our Knowledge.” In developing the theme, National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) Chairman Craig VanBuren set three goals: to create a mentoring program to help with succession planning for states; to share the importance of how inspectors protect the consumer; and to develop more training opportunities for weights and measures staff in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Governor Carney issued a proclamation declaring March 1 – 7 Weights and Measures Week in Delaware. The first United States weights and measures law was signed by President John Adams on March 2, 1799.

The work of the Delaware Weights and Measures Section has an impact on virtually every aspect of our lives from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep.

• The weights or volumes of toothpaste, bath soap, cereal, milk, coffee, lunch meat, bread, hamburger, vegetables, soft drinks, and snacks are all regulated by Weights and Measures.
• Meters on the trucks that deliver heating fuel and the pumps that fill the gas tank of cars are checked by inspectors.
• Pricing programs at stores with checkout scanners are checked to ensure that items ring up at the posted or advertised price.
• The amount of time the local do-it-yourself car wash provides to wash the car comes under Weights and Measures.
• Vehicle scales that determine the price the refuse hauler charges for garbage service are inspected for accuracy and correctness by a Weights and Measures inspector.

For more information on Delaware Weights and Measures section, or if you think the gasoline pump at the gas station is incorrect, or the weight or measure of anything is incorrect, visit the Department’s website at https://agriculture.delaware.gov/weights-measures/. Complaints can be submitted using an online form to help the consumer provide necessary information for the complaint to be thoroughly reviewed and investigated.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, (302) 698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

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Delaware consumers protected by work of weights and measures inspectors

Department of Agriculture | Date Posted: Friday, February 28, 2020


car with gas nozzle in tank

DOVER, Del. – Every day, Delaware consumers are protected by the work of the Weights and Measures inspectors at the Delaware Department of Agriculture. When consumers purchase products based on a weight or measurement – like a gallon of gas or a pound of lunch meat – the Department’s Weights and Measures section is responsible for ensuring those measurements are accurate, so consumers get what they pay for.

“Through Inspection and testing procedures our staff ensures the accuracy of all transactions whenever merchandise is bought or sold by weight, measure, or count. The goal is to eliminate the potential for fraud, carelessness, and misrepresentations during transactions,” said Steven Connors, Weights and Measures Administrator. “Not only are we protecting the consumer, but we also protect the business. The last thing a business wants to hear is they have a small error in measurement because that can lead to losses of thousands of dollars.”

The theme for this year’s National Weights and Measures Week, March 1-7, 2020 is “Building Weights and Measures’ Future by Sharing Our Knowledge.” In developing the theme, National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) Chairman Craig VanBuren set three goals: to create a mentoring program to help with succession planning for states; to share the importance of how inspectors protect the consumer; and to develop more training opportunities for weights and measures staff in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Governor Carney issued a proclamation declaring March 1 – 7 Weights and Measures Week in Delaware. The first United States weights and measures law was signed by President John Adams on March 2, 1799.

The work of the Delaware Weights and Measures Section has an impact on virtually every aspect of our lives from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep.

• The weights or volumes of toothpaste, bath soap, cereal, milk, coffee, lunch meat, bread, hamburger, vegetables, soft drinks, and snacks are all regulated by Weights and Measures.
• Meters on the trucks that deliver heating fuel and the pumps that fill the gas tank of cars are checked by inspectors.
• Pricing programs at stores with checkout scanners are checked to ensure that items ring up at the posted or advertised price.
• The amount of time the local do-it-yourself car wash provides to wash the car comes under Weights and Measures.
• Vehicle scales that determine the price the refuse hauler charges for garbage service are inspected for accuracy and correctness by a Weights and Measures inspector.

For more information on Delaware Weights and Measures section, or if you think the gasoline pump at the gas station is incorrect, or the weight or measure of anything is incorrect, visit the Department’s website at https://agriculture.delaware.gov/weights-measures/. Complaints can be submitted using an online form to help the consumer provide necessary information for the complaint to be thoroughly reviewed and investigated.

###

Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, (302) 698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.