APLMF Goods Packed by Measure Survey 2008

ASIA PACIFIC
LEGAL METROLOGY FORUM

APLMF WORKING GROUP ON GOODS PACKED BY

MEASURE (2008)
SURVEY ON HARMONISATION WITH R79 AND R87, AND
OTHER PRE-PACKAGING ISSUES

1.

General Information: Identification of the APLMF

member submitting this survey.

Organisation:
Economy:
Internet Home Page Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Contact Name:
This survey is designed to collect information on the legislative requirements
for goods packed by measure in APLMF member economies and the
alignment with the requirements of OIML Recommendations R79, Labelling
requirements for pre-packaged products and R87, Quantity of product in prepackages.
An initial survey was conducted and the results published by APLMF in 2003.
This document has been a useful reference guide but needs to be revised as
the legislation in many economies has changed and the 2004 Edition of OIML
R87, Quantity of product in pre-packages, has been published.

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This new survey also includes a section on the viability of an international

quantity mark scheme (IQ mark scheme) for prepackages. These questions
have been included to help gauge opinion within the APLMF region and report
back the responses to the OIML Technical Committee 6, Pre-packaged
Products, which is responsible for carrying out this work.
The survey questions are detailed in the following sections:
2. Labelling Requirements for Prepackaged Products (OIML R79, Edition
1997).
3. Quantity of Product in Prepackages (OIML R87, Edition 2004).
4. Other Issues Relating to Goods Packed by Measure.
5. International Quantity Mark Scheme (IQ Scheme).
Please send responses to this survey to the following postal or e-mail address
before 30 June 2008:
Your assistance with this survey is appreciated.
APLMF Working Group Chairperson on Goods Packed by Measure
Mr Brian Waltham
Senior Advisor Legal Metrology, Measurement and Product Safety Service
Ministry of Consumer Affairs
Private Bag 4714
Christchurch 8140
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: (+64) (3) 962 6215
Fax: (+64) (3) 962 6220
Email: brian.waltham@mca.govt.nz

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2.

2.1

Labelling Requirements for Pre-packaged Products

(OIML R79 Edition 1997)
Is R79 fully understood in your economy?
Yes
No

Comments:

2.2

Is R79 implemented in your economy?

Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

2.3

Are the requirements of R79 on Identity of Product implemented in

your economy?
Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

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2.4

Are the requirements of R79 on name and place of business of the

manufacturer, packager, distributor or importer implemented in your
economy?
Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

2.5

Are the requirements in R79 on declared net quantity of the prepackaged product implemented in your economy? (Including the
requirements on labelling aerosols, (5.3.2))
Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

2.6

Are the requirements in R79 on Misleading Practices implemented in

your economy?

Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

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2.7

Are the requirements in Annex A of R79 (Units of Measurement and

Symbols) implemented in your economy?
Fully
Partially
No

Comments:

2.8

What type, size of letters and numerals for statements of net

quantity on consumer packages are used in your economy?
Follow US requirements (refer R79 Annex B)
Follow EU requirements (refer R79 Annex B)
Other: Please state

Comments:

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3.
3.1

Quantity of Product in Prepackages (OIML R87 Edition

2004)
Is R87 fully understood in your economy?
Yes
No

Comments:

3.2

Is R87 implemented in your economy?

Fully
With local variation, please comment
No

Comments:

3.3

In your economy, is it mandatory to mark solid foodstuffs packed in a

liquid medium with a statement of the drained net mass (weight)?

Yes - please provide a summary of the requirements

No

Comments:

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3.4

In your economy, are there legislative or technical procedures for

determining the drained net mass (weight) of solid foodstuffs packed
in a liquid medium?
Yes, please identify procedures
No

Comments:

3.5 In your economy, are there legislative requirements, specific or general,

that prohibit the sale of:
a) Frozen fruits and vegetables (Annex D.1 - R87)
b) Glazed seafood (Annex D.2 R87)
c) Frozen shrimp and crabmeat (Annex D.3 R87)
at less than, 100% net drained mass (weight)?

Yes, please identify procedures (R87 or other etc.)

No

Comments:

3.6

If the answer to question 3.5 is yes, please indicate at what level the
legislative requirements are administered.
Central/National valid for the entire country/economy
State/Regional valid for a segment of the country/economy
Local/Municipal valid for a city or local jurisdiction

Comments:

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3.7

In your economy, are there legislative requirements controlling the

moisture allowances on pre-packaged products?
Yes please describe requirements
No

Comments:

3.8

In your economy, are there legislative or other processes for requiring

products to be sold at reference temperatures?
Yes please describe requirements
No

Comments:

3.9

In your economy, are there any legislative requirements or other

processes that prohibit misleading pre-packages (those with false
bottoms, sides, lids etc)?

Yes please describe requirements

No

Comments:

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4.

Other Issues Relating to Goods Packed by Measure

4.1

In your economy, are pre-packages required to be made up in

quantities prescribed by regulation?

Yes please describe requirements

No

Comments:

4.2

In your economy, are there legislative requirements for unit price

marking on packages or at point of sale?
Yes please describe requirements
No

Comments:

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5.

International Quantity Mark Scheme (IQ Scheme)

5.1

In your economy, do you see the need for an international quantity

mark scheme / mutual acceptance arrangement, that would give
confidence in the accuracy of quantity in pre-packages and ensure
that other agreed upon legal metrology requirements (such as those
pertaining to labelling) are met?

Yes please comment

No please comment

Comments:

5.2

Does National legislation or other requirements permit you to

participate in such a scheme or, if necessary enter into any binding
agreements regarding such a scheme?
Yes please comment
No please comment

Comments:

5.3

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Does National legislation or other requirements permit you to sign

agreements with packers and charge fees for your services to cover
the cost of metrological supervision?
Yes please comment
No please comment

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Comments:

5.4

Would your economy be prepared to accept the accuracy of quantity

in prepackages packed in another participating country without further
inspection, if the prepackages are covered by a certificate issued
under the scheme?
Yes please comment
No please comment

Comments:

5.5

What requirements do you propose for proving competence of the

relevant National Responsible Bodies in participating countries to
inspect and apply metrological supervision over packers? e.g. should
they have an entrenched quality system such as ISO 17020 and
should they be accredited, peer assessed, or merely prove
compliance by submitting internal quality audit reports and
management reviews.
Yes please comment
No please comment

Comments:

5.6

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What minimum requirements do you propose for proving competence

of packers e.g. entrenched quality system covering minimum
requirements to ensure accuracy of packing (quantity) or certified
quality systems such as ISO 9000?
Yes please comment

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No please comment

Comments:

5.7

Would your economy be prepared to accept or would National

legislation allow conformity assessment of prepackers by private
conformity assessment bodies as a means to guarantee the accuracy
of the contents of prepackages?

Yes (If yes, what should their conformity assessment of the prepacker
consist of):
a) only assessing the quality system and recorded results of
measurements; or
b) requirements in a) as well as reference tests on prepackages on a
reasonable number of product lines/batches of prepackages at
each assessment

No please comment

Comments:

5.8

What benefits do you foresee in such a scheme?

Comments:

5.9

What negative effects do you foresee in such a scheme?

Comments:

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