The vast majority of pre-packaged food being sold in Hong Kong supermarkets falls short of their marked weights, according to the results of a Consumer Council survey released yesterday. Of the 51 samples of meat, fish, fruit and veg, 46 (90 percent) did not deliver what they promised on the label.
The biggest discrepancies came with pre-packaged fish, especially when sold together with other ingredients. The net weight of all 21 fish items was found to be below that stated on the package, but of the nine bundles containing other ingredients, both the real weight of the fish alone was found lacking (by up to 25.7 percent), plus the total weight of the fish and ingredients (up to 8.4 percent).
There were also a few shockers in the meat section, with one beef steak being found to weigh 19.2 percent less that stated. For the majority of the 18 samples, however, the shortfall was relatively minor, below 5 percent for 27 items and between 5 and 10 percent for 16 items.
Only one meat sample weighed exactly the right amount, and three were actually found to weigh more, although only up to a top figure of 5 percent.
“Nonetheless, given the vast range of pre-packed fresh food products and the quantity sold daily at retail stores across the territory, the financial drain on consumers could be considerable, and good profits to the traders,” the Council said in a statement.
While it might make sense to avoid packaged fish and meat if you want to stretch that dollar as far as possible, pre-boxed fruit and veg were actually found to be a thrifty ticket. Eight out of 10 samples weighed more that stated, by between 2.3 and a whopping 25.7 percent. Two notable examples were tomato (11.9 percent more) and zucchini (25.7 percent more).
Under Hong Kong’s Weights and Measures Ordinance, traders selling goods by weight must have the net weight clearly marked on the packaging. Non-compliance is an offence. The results of the Council’s survey have been passed on to the Weights and Measures Ordinance, the Customs and Excise Department and the Centre for Food Safety.
Photo: Wikimedia
