If you buy 500g of chicken wings, you’d probably expect to bring home roughly 500g of chicken wings.
One Yishun resident, however, claimed that both the chicken wings and yellow noodles she bought from a wet market came up short when she weighed them again at home.
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore’s (CCCS) Weights and Measures Office said it will conduct an inspection following the recent feedback.
500g of Chicken Wings Allegedly Weighed 486g at Home
According to 8world, the resident, identified as Laura Tan, had bought the items from stalls at the wet market at Block 105 Yishun Ring Road.
She said she paid S$4 for 500g of chicken wings.
However, when she weighed the chicken wings at home, the reading was allegedly 486g, or 14g less than what she had purchased.
She also bought 300g of yellow noodles, but claimed that these weighed 281g at home, a difference of 19g.
Tan raised the issue on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page, saying it was a matter of principle rather than simply arguing over a small amount of food.
She also claimed that the weighing scales at some stalls were positioned in a way that made it difficult for customers to see the readings.
The measurements taken at her home have not been independently verified, and they do not on their own establish whether the stalls’ weighing equipment was inaccurate.
Some Netizens Say Scales Can Become Inaccurate
The complaint drew mixed reactions online.
According to 8world, some commenters said they had experienced similar situations elsewhere.
Others pointed out that a 14g difference for chicken wings could be difficult for a stallholder to make up exactly.
Another commenter suggested that weighing scales may become less accurate after prolonged use and that customers could alert stallholders if they suspect a scale needs adjusting.
Authorities to Carry Out Inspection
The Weights and Measures Office told 8world that it had not previously received feedback involving inaccurate measuring instruments at the market or customers receiving less than the stated quantity.
It said businesses using measuring instruments are inspected regularly to ensure quantities used in transactions are accurate.
This includes businesses operating around the markets at Blocks 104 and 105 Yishun Ring Road, where inspections have been conducted for years and older equipment has also been replaced.
Following the latest feedback, the authorities said they will inspect the market to ensure that the measuring instruments being used comply with requirements.
Measuring instruments used for trade must first be verified by authorised verifiers from the Weights and Measures Office.
Those that pass verification receive an “ACCURACY” label which is valid for 12 months.
Once that period expires, businesses that wish to continue using the instrument must have it verified again.
