Weighing the options: A customer placing marinated meat in a plastic tray at a grocery store. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
PETALING JAYA: It’s a fairly common practice – you go to the supermarket and buy some chicken breast slices or salmon fillets, which are neatly packed on a plastic tray with cling wrap and an absorbent pad.
The label would state the weight and price.
Most buyers would not spare this much thought, but the weight of the fresh produce would likely include the packaging weight, which then impacts the final pricing.
The management of a grocery store, when contacted, stated that it is a “standard practice” in many stores to include the weight of the packaging to ensure product hygiene and secure packaging.
It also said the weight of the wrapping plastic is minimal and has no significant impact on the product’s total weight.
But for consumer groups, such a practice could impact trust and fairness, as consumers might end up being overcharged even though it would seem minimal for small purchases.
They call on retailers to display the precise weight of fresh produce, saying that there is a need for regulatory reforms to protect consumers from paying for non-edible packaging material.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations vice-president and legal adviser Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham said despite existing consumer protection laws, including the Consumer Protection Act and the Weights and Measures Act, specific and enforceable guidelines are lacking on the need to exclude tare weight from the pricing.
She said clear labelling should indicate the net weight, tare weight and unit price as an immediate step towards greater transparency.
Globally, she said countries such as Japan, China and members of the European Union have implemented regulations to ensure consumers are charged based on the net weight of products, excluding packaging.
“These practices highlight a growing recognition of the need for transparency and fair trade in consumer transactions, which Malaysia could emulate to foster a more transparent retail environment.”
While Malaysia’s consumer protection laws address pricing accuracy, she said there is no specific and widespread enforcement of regulations requiring retailers to exclude tare weight in the pricing of fresh produce.
“The Weights and Measures Act, enacted in 1972, does not provide detailed guidelines on accounting for tare weight, leaving room for inconsistent practices among retailers.
“Without clear regulations, consumers may inadvertently pay for the weight of packaging materials, leading to overcharging and undermining consumer trust,” she said in an interview.
Indrani said the inclusion of packaging weight contradicts the principles of transparency and fairness, which would impact lower-income consumers more.
“This practice unfairly shifts the burden of non-edible packaging onto consumers.
“Such practices may also contravene Malaysia’s consumer protection principles of preventing deceptive and misleading trade practices.”
As such, she called for a comprehensive review of the Weights and Measures Act to reflect modern retail practices and ensure pricing based on net weight.
“Retailers should adopt best practices voluntarily, such as using calibrated scales that automatically deduct packaging weight and clearly label net weights on packaged goods.
“This would align Malaysia with international standards seen in countries like the UK and Australia, where regulations mandate pricing by net weight.”
Indrani noted that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry should consider issuing specific guidelines or amendments to the existing legislation to address this gap.
Consumers’ Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kader also called for transparency in the weighing of retail products, emphasising the need for accurate net weight displays.
“Retail products should display the accurate net weight of the product.
“Net weight refers to the total weight of solid goods and liquid medium in a package.
“The weight of any packaged produce or goods must not include the weight of the packaging,” he said.
Mohideen highlighted various ways in which consumers are inadvertently overcharged, noting that even when purchasing basic items like uncooked rice, consumers may end up paying for the weight of thick carry bags used in packaging.
“This is yet another way how a consumer is being misled,” he said.
The issue, Mohideen said, extends beyond groceries and fresh produce.
“In jewellery shops, for instance, consumers may unknowingly pay for the weight of price tags or other labels attached to gold items.
“Consumers should request that sellers remove those tags before weighing the items to ensure they only pay for the actual gold,” he said.
