Suppliers or sellers of pre-packaged goods
For manufacturers and/or packers, importers and/or distributors, and retailers of pre-packaged goods
A pre-packaged good (PPG) is a commodity that is enclosed in a container or wrapped in any manner, for which its quantity has been determined and indicated on its label prior to being offered for sale.
It is an offence to supply or sell PPGs with net content less than the quantity stated on the package or label. Suppliers and/or retailers should have your own system or measures in place to ensure net content of the PPGs corresponds with what is stated on the package or label.
Metric system of units
Suppliers and/or retailers should also ensure the net content of the PPG stated on the label is in the metric system of units. Below are examples of metric units commonly used in trade measurements. For other metric units of measurement, refer to the First Schedule of the Weights and Measures Act.
| Measurement by: | Weight | Volume | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric units: | Kilogram, Gram, Milligram, Carat (metric) | Litre, Millitre | Kilometre, Metre, Centimetre, Millimetre |
Average Quantity System
The Average Quantity System (AQS) is an internationally recognised sampling method used by businesses to check that the PPGs they sell are accurately filled.
A sampled batch would fulfill the AQS if,
- The average content of the packages in a sampled batch is not less than the quantity stated on the packaging;
- The number of non-standard pre-packages sampled from a sample batch does not exceed the tolerable deficiency; and
- No package shall have its net contents exceeding twice the tolerable deficiency from its stated quantity.
For more information on PPGs and the AQS, please refer to Chapter 4.3 of the Singapore Weights and Measures Information Booklet.