Resources available to you from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) include guidance on weights and measures equipment and packaged goods.

Business advice

Most UK weights and measures legislation is enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards (or the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland).

For business-specific advice on complying with the regulations, contact your local Trading Standards service.

Local authorities often ask us to clarify technical or enforcement issues that can be significant to businesses, and we publish our responses in bulletins.

Weights and Measures Bulletins

Weights and measures equipment

We publish guidance for manufacturers, importers and distributors on the regulation of weights and measures equipment, which is also relevant to local authority trading standards:

Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016

Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016

Standard temperature accounting: weights and measures

Weighing and measuring equipment used in business must be passed as fit for use for trade by a Weights and Measures Inspector or an approved verifier. Equipment that is repaired or adjusted will then need to be to be requalified either by the Inspector or an approved verifier. Contact your local Trading Standards Office for guidance. An approved verifier is a manufacturer, installer or repairer of weighing and measuring equipment permitted to qualify or requalify specific equipment types.

Read guidance on approved verification, apply to become an approved verifier, or view the list of approved verifiers

View the list of authorised stamp numbers

Market surveillance of weighing and measuring instruments

OPSS is responsible for the market surveillance of regulated non-automatic weighing instruments and measuring instruments. We carry out monitoring of instruments to ensure that those that do not comply with the provisions of the Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 or the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 are prevented from being placed on the market or put into use.

To report concerns to OPSS regarding weighing and measuring instruments that may not be in conformity with the regulations, please email opss.enquiries@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Equipment requalification

Download guidance on the metrology changes made by the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (PDF, 190 KB, 5 pages)

This guidance concerns the changes made by the Product Safety and Metrology etc (Amendment) Regulations 2021 to the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 (MIR) and Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 (NAWI). The changes apply to the enforcement procedures of disqualification and requalification. It is relevant to inspectors, approved verifiers, approved manufacturers, notified bodies (in Northern Ireland) and approved bodies.

Apply to become an approved manufacturer or view the list of approved manufacturers

Requalification stickers correspondence and pricing

Occasionally, OPSS receives queries regarding requalification stickers. The most common questions are:

How do I place an order for stickers?

Orders require the metrology stickers order form below to be completed and sent to OPSS. We cannot process orders without this form. A purchase order is also required and must contain a purchase order number, details of the order required, invoice address and delivery address.

Metrology Stickers Order Form (ODT, 985 KB)

Please send the form and purchase order to metrologystickers@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

What are the prices for the stickers?

Local Government Inspectors of Weights and Measures stickers are free of charge.

Sticker pricing for Approved Verifiers, UK Approved Bodies and UK Approved Manufacturers:

• Up to 500 stickers – £25+VAT.
• Additional stickers (over 500) – 5p+VAT each.

Delivery by post is included.

A purchase order is required to accompany the order form.

How long does it take to produce the stickers?

OPSS aims to have stickers produced and put in the post 10 working days from receipt of your order.

How long will it take for them to be delivered?

Stickers are sent using royal mail postage. Orders that come to more than £50+VAT are sent using first class recorded delivery.

Packaged goods

We publish guidance for packers and importers on packaged goods:

Packaged goods: weights and measures regulations

Food information to consumers: quantity labelling

Measuring container bottles: register a manufacturer’s mark

Hallmarking

We sponsor the British Hallmarking Council, which provides guidance for manufacturers and retailers on the hallmarking of precious metal articles.