Understanding legal metrology for essential and vegetable oils

A key outcome of the SECO-funded Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP) South Africa, as implemented by UNIDO, is to assist SMEs in the industry to comply with legal metrology and pre-packaging requirements as per the legislative and International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) requirements. 

In this vein, an information brochure for the essential and vegetable oils industry in South Africa with respect to the marking and accuracy requirements for prepackages under legal metrology control has been published.

The brochure, which was developed by senior officials of the Legal Metrology Unit that sits within the National Regulatory of Compulsory Certifications (NCRS) in South Africa, describes in detail the labelling requirements for pre-packaged products and general requirements for the sale of goods subject to Legal Metrology control; tolerances permitted for the accuracy of measurement of products (including prepackaged products) in terms of the Legal Metrology legislation; and the inspection procedure used by Legal Metrology officials for the determination of quantity in pre-packages. The content of the information brochure can be used by other Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States, as well through the SADC regional technical cooperation structure (SADCMEL).

NCRS in South Africa has the responsibility of regulating all measurable products and services, measurements in trade, health, safety, the environment, and all measuring instruments used for a prescribed purpose. It also ensures that fair weights and measures are applied in both national and international trade (for both imports and exports).

Read the brochure here.

For further information contact Juan Pablo Davila (j.davila [at] unido.org (j[dot]davila[at]unido[dot]org))