If your business sells products by weight or another measure (such as volume or length) you must:

• use metric quantities (such as kilograms, centimetres or litres) in most cases
• label packages accurately

A few products are still sold using imperial measures (for example, beer is still sold in pints).

There are certain rules depending on your business sector and the area you’re trading in. For more information, contact your local Trading Standards Institute office.

If you break the rules you can be prosecuted. You could face a fine or a prison sentence.

If you follow the rules when measuring your products, you can use an 'e' mark on the label.

The ‘e’ mark lets you distribute your products in the EU without having to follow other rules about weights and measures. This applies to packages between 5 grams or mililitres and 10 kilograms or litres.

You must mark packaged products with the metric measure. You can show the imperial measure as well if you want to, but it can't be more prominent than the metric measure.

There are 2 ways to measure the contents of your packages. You can either:

• use equipment that meets approved standards to make up each package
• check a sample of packages

The weight of the package doesn't include the packaging.

Using approved equipment

If you use approved equipment to measure each package you:

• don't have to keep records of any checks you make - but all packages must contain at least the amount stated on the package
• can distribute your products within the EU without having to meet country-specific regulations about weights and measures

Approved equipment has a 'CE' mark, a black 'M' on a green background and a 4-digit number.

Checking a sample

You can check a sample of your packages if you don’t want to use approved equipment to measure each package. When checking samples, you must make sure:

• the average weight or measure of your packages is no less than what it says on the label
• you only have a certain number of packages below the average
• none of those below the average are too far below

The exact amounts involved depend on:

• the weight or measure of each package
• the product you are selling

Get information on the specific amounts for your business sector from your local Trading Standards office

Keeping records

You must keep records of checks for at least 1 year from the date the packages leave the premises (or until the 'Use by' date) if you check by sampling.