As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, markets across Taiwan are bustling with shoppers purchasing festive goods and ingredients. To ensure measurement accuracy and fair transactions during the holiday shopping season, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) conducted a pre-holiday inspection of commercial weighing scales. The BSMI announced that the inspection achieved an impressive compliance rate of 99.9 percent.

As part of the special inspection program, BSMI officials conducted inspections at 157 locations across Taiwan, including traditional markets, hypermarkets, and supermarkets. A total of 5,577 weighing scales were examined, of which 5,576 were found compliant. Only one scale failed to meet legal requirements. The non-compliant scale was immediately marked "suspension-from-use" and will remain under follow-up monitoring until corrective action is completed. Any business found continuing to use a non-compliant weighing scale are subject to fines ranging from NT$15,000 to NT$75,000 in accordance with the Weights and Measures Act.

The BSMI noted that weighing scales used in commercial transactions are legally required to pass official verification before they can be sold, used, or placed into service in the marketplace. In addition, the agency conducts annual market inspection programs to monitor weighing instruments in circulation. Any non-compliant devices identified during inspections are subject to regulatory action in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, through a two-tier oversight mechanism to protect consumer interests and ensure fair trade practices.

The Bureau further explained that routine inspections are conducted throughout the year at markets across Taiwan to ensure accurate measurements and fair transactions. Additional targeted inspections are conducted during the three major holiday periods-the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival-to further strengthen regulatory oversight and safeguard consumer interests. Consumers who notice a weighing scale without the official verification mark [Picture as attachment file], or who have doubts about the accuracy of a weighing transaction, are encouraged to contact the BSMI hotline at 02-2343-4567. The Bureau will promptly dispatch inspectors to conduct follow-up checks, safeguarding the interests of both buyers and sellers.

Responsible Division: Metrology Technology Division
Contact Person: Chen, Horng-Lin, Deputy Director
Telephone No.: +886-2343-1700#5211
Email: [email protected]