Trading Standards inspections

About Trading Standards Officers

Trading Standards Officers (also known as Weights and Measures Inspectors) work for the Ministry of Business, Innovations and Employment (MBIE).

Trading Standards Officers:

• visit businesses to check they're complying with Weights and Measures Act and Regulations
• check equipment, and goods that have been manufactured, packed or imported, to make sure they comply with the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations.

You must assist Trading Standards Officers if they ask you to. This may include providing access to goods and weighing or measuring equipment for examination.

See Powers, offences and our enforcement strategy for more information about the powers Trading Standards Officers have.

About Trading Standards inspections

Location and timing

Inspections can be conducted at retail, manufacture, importation and storage sites, or wherever sufficient packages are available.

Spot checks can be undertaken without formal warning. You may be required to assist Trading Standards Officers with their requests. This may include providing access to goods and weighing or measuring equipment.

There's no charge for a Trading Standards inspection.

Process

Trading Standards Officers carry with them a range of health and safety resources. They will follow any health and safety requirements you may have while conducting inspections at your premises.

See Health and Safety at Work Act — shared duties and expectations for more information about this.

When visiting retail and manufacturing sites, Trading Standards Officers will:

• Test equipment to ensure it complies with the legislation and conditions of Approval Certificates.
• Inspect pre-packed and catch weight goods.
• Confirm skilled technicians (Accredited Persons) are following the conditions of their accreditation (surveillance audit).
• Conduct sample assessment and reference tests under the Average Quantity System (AQS).

See The Average Quantity System (AQS) for more information.

Outcome

If your goods are checked by a Trading Standards Officer you'll get a copy of the results after the inspection.

Some goods may need further testing depending on the nature of the goods. In this case we will conduct the testing at the nearest Trading Standards laboratory.

Getting your equipment verified or certified

If you need someone to verify or certify your equipment, this is normally done by an Accredited Person.

See Visits from Accredited Persons for more information.