MADISON, Wis. – During Weights and Measures Week from March 1–7, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) celebrates the important work of DATCP’s Bureau of Weights and Measures. Their work guarantees that Wisconsin consumers can be confident they are receiving the full and true value of their purchases.
DATCP’s weights and measures inspectors, lab teams, and office staff are responsible for monitoring the accuracy of motor vehicle fuel pumps, commercial scales, price scanners, milk tanks, package weights, and other measuring instruments used by businesses across Wisconsin. In 2022, DATCP’s weights and measures team conducted 307,927 inspections at 6,647 business locations statewide. Inspection results in 2022 followed the trends of recent years:
- Wisconsin gas pumps provided the correct amount of fuel (or over-delivered) in 99.6% of DATCP’s inspections.
- Scales used to sell products by weight (such as deli meats and produce) were accurate or in the customer’s favor in 99.7% of DATCP’s inspections.
- Packaged products sold by weight (such as ground meat) were labeled accurately in 98.4% of DATCP’s inspections.
- Prices at checkout registers using scanners were accurate or in the customer’s favor in 97% of DATCP’s inspections.
Additionally, DATCP’s Wisconsin Weights and Measures Laboratory tested 4,531 fuel samples for quality in 2022. Of those samples, 98.2% met the required national standards.
“The inspection results indicate that businesses value weights and measures standards as a way to support consumer confidence,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “DATCP works year-round with businesses to make sure they can provide accurate prices to their customers. Whether you are buying a gallon of gasoline, pound of lunch meat, milligram of gold, or any other good, consumers can trust that their purchases are precisely and correctly measured.”
When DATCP inspectors identify inaccurate measurements or prices, they report violations to store management and issue orders to correct the problem. In 2022, DATCP issued 6,377 of these orders and conducted 970 re-inspections to verify that the corrections were made.
DATCP can also take steps toward higher-level enforcement. In 2022, DATCP Weights and Measures inspections resulted in civil forfeiture totaling $300,377.85 from companies after identifying substandard fuel quality, product quantity misrepresentations, and other violations.
Every year, Weights and Measures Week is observed nationwide and marks the signing of the first U.S. weights and measures law by President John Adams on March 2, 1799. Media who are interested in learning more by joining a DATCP inspector in the field may observe the inspection process from February 28 to March 10, 2023. To make arrangements, email Caleb Kulich at caleb.kulich@wisconsin.gov.
For additional information or to file a weights and measures complaint, visit www.datcp.wi.gov, call (608) 224-4942, or email DATCPWeightsAndMeasures@wi.gov
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