On Apr 12, 11:23Â*am, maxine in ri > wrote:
> On Apr 12, 10:45 am, Sheldon > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > maxine in ri wrote:
> > > On Apr 11, 6:36 pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> > > > James Silverton wrote:
> > > > > Hello, All!
>
> > > > > Today, I was in a supermarket that claims to be a discount one
> > > > > (in fact its prices *are* usually lower.) I saw some large navel
> > > > > oranges marked "10 for....." That looked interesting until I saw
> > > > > it was "10 for $10" or a dollar each. Don't people do the simple
> > > > > arithmetic. They also sometimes price melons per pound that
> > > > > makes them look cheap until you weigh one and find it will cost
> > > > > $5!
>
> > > > > James Silverton
> > > > > Potomac, Maryland
>
> > > > Happens all the time. �I don't generally need or want 10 of (or 5 of)
> > > > whatever they're trying to rope the consumer into buying. �Fact is they're
> > > > counting on people not calculating the unit price. �I don't buy into 2-fer
> > > > deals unless the per-unit price is significantly less with the 2-fer deal
> > > > *and* it's something on my list or at least something I know I'll use.
>
> > > > I've noticed scales seem to be disappearing from a lot of produce
> > > > departments. �They don't want people to figure out it isn't a "deal" until
> > > > it's rung up at the checkout. �Most people are too timid to say take that
> > > > off, I'm not paying $5 for a cantaloupe!
>
> > > > Jill
>
> > > The reason scales are disappearing is more likely related to their
> > > grossly inaccurate rendering of the approximate weight that they
> > > display. �I'm rude when it comes to that, taking my produce purchase
> > > over to the deli and reaching over to weigh them on their scales for a
> > > more accurate reading.
>
> > > That was, btw the way I found out that the scales at the registers
> > > were not accurate. �Made the people in line behind me angry, but I
> > > raised a ruckus, insisted the manager do the same math I had, and got
> > > that register closed down until the weights and measures people had
> > > come in to retest that scale.
>
> > > My one moment of glory.<G>
>
> > That's very rare... those electronic scales at the register cost many
> > thousands of dollars each and are extremely accurate and sensitive...
> > and also have built-in warning devices that disable a scale if there's
> > any malfunction (it will even flash the particular malfunction, like
> > if there's too much liquid on the scale, or some item falls
> > underneath). Â*And the weights and measures inspectors come around to
> > test and recalibrate if needed very often, with many stores on a daily
> > basis. Â*No store is going to purposely mess with those scales... there
> > are very stiff fines and serious prison time. Â*In fact most stores buy
> > a service contract from the scale manufacturer which includes an
> > insurance portion protecting from error liability, so the manufactures
> > come around very often to check their products too.
>
> The inspectors in our area tend to come on a yearly basis.

I seriously doubt that. I think Federal Law mandates a minimum
monthly inspection, but the local W & M inspectors arrive much more
often (job insurance plays a big role), with some large high traffic
stores, like Walmart, there's always an inspector on premises.. many
of Walmart stores have in excess of one hundred scales, by the time
all the scales are checked it's time to start all over again.


> > Now the spring scales at the produce section are not intended for
> > precise weight, normal brained folks don't care if the grapes they
> > weigh are off a half ounce... those are guestimate scales, those
> > grapes will still get weighed at the register... and better than 50
> > pct of shoppers will have eaten a goodly amount before ever getting to
> > the register.
>
> If they're off by half an ounce, I'd be fine with them. Â*The ones in
> most of the local stores, and the chains, tend to be off by a good
> deal more than that!

I seriously doubt that too... I was being generous with the half
ounce... the W & M folks inspect those scales too, just not
necessarily as often. I typically use those scales to weigh bagged
produce like mushrooms, potatoes and carrots, those typically don't
contain the marked weight, I've found five pound bags of carrots off
by as much as a half pound either way, so I weigh to choose one that's
over by the most... If I weigh like 5-6 bags and all weigh differently
then I know it's the carrots and not the scale. I find packaged
mushrooms are often way off too, when light they are usually old,
they've lost moisture... a pack should always weigh a little over the
marked weight because the marked weight allows for the packaging...
it's illegal to charge for the weight of packaging. Some delis slip
in extra waxed paper, when they get caught the fine is hefty. How
many of yoose weigh the wrapped meat from the butcher case, I bet
hardly any... try it you'll be in for a surprise... and you'd be
amazed at how many actually pre-wet those moisture absorbant pads.

> Now that some stores are coming up with those "scan as you shop"
> devices, there is a decent scale in the produce section, that spits
> out a label for your produce when you weigh it.

That I haven't seen... seems to me that would create more problems.

Food stores don't mess with their scales... records of inspections
show too many dispareties they will put a lock on the door. In the US
The Bureau of Weights and Measures is very serious business... they
catch a gas station short selling they shut them down, they catch a
fuel truck running with a ticket in the meter the driver and the owner
go to prison.

But for every safe guard instituted there are soon many devious ways
to circumvent it... buyer beware is still the only real defense.