UNBS ISSUES THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (SALE AND LABELLING OF GOODS) (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2020 FOR PREPACKAGED GOODS

  13th November , 2020 ,       Hits: 1653

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has amended the Weights and Measures (Sale and labelling of Goods Rules 2007) to specify the prepackaged goods which should be sold by the measures of mass, volume, linear measures and count and also to standardise quantities for some essential prepackaged goods.

During the UNBS online stakeholder engagement with traders dealing in prepackaged goods, the UNBS Senior Metrologist, Josephine Nakyeyune, cited alcoholic beverages, Bread and buns, carbonated soft drinks, packaged drinking water, flavoured drinks, squashes and fruit juices, polishes and cleaning materials in paste, wax and liquid form, dried beans and similar pulses, Sauces and Ketchup, Tea, Spices and Vinegar as some of the items added to the new rules.

However, the main focus was basically on Foods and beverages and some other consumables such as cement, cleaning materials, safety match sticks among others. Other products will be considered in the subsequent amendments.

This is in addition to the requirements laid down in the Weights and Measures (Sale and labelling of Goods Rules 2007) that cuts across all products like labelling and Metrological requirements.

The UNBS head of Weights and Measures division, Mr. Mukisa Jackson, revealed that the amendment of the Weights and measures rules was done to cater for items left out in the Weights and Measures (Sale and labelling of Goods Rules 2007) and to harmonise with the East African Community (EAC) and South Africa Development Community (SADC) regulations.

The amendment was signed by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives in August 2020 and all manufacturers, packers, distributors and importers dealing in prepackaged goods have been given a grace period of one year, before the new rules are implemented in November 2021.

The New Weights and Measures (Sale and labelling of goods) (Amendment) Rules, 2020 can be accessed on the UNBS website HERE

About UNBS

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) continues to perform its mandate of developing, promoting and enforcing standards in protection of public health and safety, and the environment against dangerous and sub-standard products.