36 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS accordance with the Act and is indicative of the relatively poor under- standing of what is required in this field. This point will be amplified below. In addition to the testing of packs, there were also many examinations of equipment in use for trade as given in Table II. Table II Examination of equipment. Nature of equipment Number examined Number incorrect Weights - Imperial Metric Length measures - Imperial Metric Capacity measures - Imperial Metric Person weighing machines Other weighing instruments Petrol and oil measuring instrument s Intoxicating liquor measuring instruments 6,949 4 1,078 26 19,821 19 128 4,444 1,102 626 (9.0%) 4 (100%) 109 (10%) Nil 567 (2.9%) 5 (26%) 37 (28.8%) ss9 (13.3%) 123 (11.2%) 396 (8.6%) 4,579 These results indicate that there is room for very considerable improve- ment all round in the equipment used, both weights, measures and instru- ments. These figures do not, of course, give a breakdown of those tests conducted in retail outlets and in manufacturing establishments, but there is an obvious case for us to pay particular attention to this field. This is emphasized by the results (Table III) of equipment submitted to the Weights and Measures Authorities for verification, when presumably the owners had taken some steps to assure themselves that the equipment was reasonably satisfactory. Table III Equipment submitted for verification. Nature of equipment Number submitted Number incorrect Weights Measures of length, capacity and volume Weighing instruments Petrol and oil measuring instruments Intoxicating liquor measuring instruments 2,439 140 419 432 1,430 76 (3.1%) 12 (8.6%) 9 (2.1%) 19 (4.4%) lSS (•0.8%)

INFLUENCE OF THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT ON PACKAGING 37 During the year in question for this area there were 148 complaints sent to the Weights and Measures Authorities. Of these, 72 related to foodstuffs, 27 to solid fuel, 15 to petrol, 7 to the use of equipment, t3 to draught beer, 3 to curtain material, and 2 to toothpaste. There was one complaint each relating to snuff, formica, scrap copper, toys, cigarettes, polythene bags, hand cream, a ladies' skirt, ink, flannelette, a nightdress, soap powder, magnetic recording tape, a telephone meter and an airpump. PROSECUTIONS In the area referred to above (10), there were a total of 30 prosecutions for the year, and a further 53 letters of caution were sent. Of the :30 prosecu- tions, 28 resulted in convictions and 2 defendants were acquitted, although in both these cases, there were separate prosecutions against other parties which resulted in convictions. Of the 28 convictions, 14 were for supplying short weight, 13 for having an incorrect quantity marking, 5 for having no quantity marking, 2 for using an unstamped instrument, and 1 for using a false trade description. Three of the cases referring to prepacked goods not being marked with quantity were against manufacturers in the food industry. All other cases were against retail outlets and there were none in the field of cosmetics and toiletries. As far as can be ascertained there has only been one successful prosecu- tion in our ne•u anu [111 IJUii•UliIUU tttu Dctitx tJt ctclOSOl •l sprays which were underweight (11). The store in question was fined oe10 with 5 guineas costs when a Weights and Measures inspector found two faulty aerosol hair sprays on display, one underweight by :39.:34g and the other by 4.5g. A representative of the store told the court: "When aerosols are put on dis- play, there is always the danger that a woman will come along and try them out. It is a national problem which affects stores all over the country, and the stores cannot guarantee that some of the contents will not be lost. We are now pressing for aerosols to be sealed completely by the manu- facturers before they are sent to the shops, to stop women from testing them." This is a problem that aerosol manufacturers may be faced with at some stage but I would have thought that there were less costly ways of satisfying the conditions. I would like to emphasize that the figures given are for one area only and may not represent the national picture. They must, however, act as a reasonable pointer to conditions reigning in many areas.