When you shop, you expect to get what you paid for and be charged the correct price. But how do you know if the pound of meat you just bought is really a pound or if that gallon of gas you just pumped was really a whole gallon? How can you be certain that at the cash register at the front of the store is ringing up the same prices posted in the aisles?
In Westchester County, it is the job of the Department of Consumer Protection's Weights and Measures division to make sure that you get what you pay for and that you are charged correctly.
"Whenever money changes hands, consumers in Westchester have the right to be treated fairly," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "To make sure that happens, inspectors from Consumer Protection visit every supermarket, delicatessen and gas station at least once a year. And they do this at no cost to taxpayers, as the department generates revenues to offset all costs."
John Gaccione, acting director of Consumer Protection, explained that it is the job of the Weights and Measures division to enforce the state's New York State Agriculture and Market Laws along with the county's Consumer Code. In addition to the annual inspections, the department responds to complaints from consumers.
"A typical supermarket inspection includes testing scales, verifying packaged goods for accurate weight and proper labeling and checking the expiration dates on perishable items," Gaccione said. "Checkout scanners are tested by randomly selecting 50 to 100 items and comparing the shelf price to the scanned price."
The department also checks gas pumps, home heating oils truck meters, luggage scales at the Westchester County Airport and shipping scales at UPS and FedEx, jewelry stores that weigh precious metals and scales in pharmacies.
"In a gas station, besides checking that the pumps are accurate, price signs are checked for accuracy, storage tanks are checked for water contamination and samples of gas are randomly taken for quality testing," Gaccione said.
When a scale or gas pump passes inspection, the inspector will place a seal on the device denoting the month and year of inspection.
The Consumer Department generates its revenue from home improvement licensing fees, penalties and fines, and from fees collected for inspection of weighing and measuring devices.
Tips for a smart consumer:
- When pumping gas, make sure that you or the attendant is using the correct pump and that the octane rating and the price per gallon is clearly marked on the pump. Make sure before squeezing the handle the pump reads zero. If you pay by credit card, check the receipt to be sure that the amount billed is equal to the amount on the pump.
- When shopping for items that are sold by weight such as produce, watch the scale and the amount registered. The scale should be placed so you can see the weight and the price per pound and total price. Make sure the scale shows a zero or a minus sign before anything is weighted. If you have any questions about how a store weighs or measures its products, ask the manager for information, and if the problem isn't resolved, contact Consumer Protection for advice or assistance.
- Take advantage of customer price scanners and make sure that the price that scans is equal to or less than the shelf price for that item. Many retailers in the county are now using customer price scanners instead of individually price marking items.
For more information contact the department at westchestergov.com/consumer or by calling (914)995-2155.