Supermarket scale inspection a success

 By ERIC BALARIA

THE Independent Consumer and Competition Commission has termed as successful its supermarket inspection in Port Moresby.

The exercise which targeted all supermarkets using scales to  sell frozen goods, fruits, vegetables and  all  weighing  and measuring  apparatus  used for  the distribution of wholesale and retail of goods, had seen cooperative efforts from business houses in the city.

Chief executive officer Paulus Ain said the inspection, which resumed last month with the help of the National Institute for Standards and Industrial Technology showed that more than 86 scales in shops passed the compliancy test and inspection.  Only three scales were not compliant.

“In Port Moresby, our team covered almost 86 scales and they have calibrated them to be in their tolerance,” he said. 

“The main expectation was that we wanted the prices that the shops are charging are reflective of the actual readings on the scales. So far it has been good.”

Executive manager consumer protection division Avi Hubert said the trade measurement inspection was routinely carried out by ICCC’s four regional offices in Kokopo, New Guinea islands, Goroka, Lae in and Port Moresby.

He said it was carried out if requested by traders.