Why do Weights and Measures Matter to Wisconsin Consumers?

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin consumers rely on accurate weights and measures every single day. Whether they are buying groceries, motor vehicle fuel, or any other number of products, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Bureau of Weights and Measures, as well as the numerous municipal Weights and Measures programs across Wisconsin, are hard at work throughout the year to ensure consumers receive the full value of their purchases.

If consumers have ever been to a store that uses electronic price scanners, they benefit from Weights and Measures programs. In 2024, the DATCP Bureau of Weights and Measures conducted 36,000 inspections of checkout price accuracy and the legal requirement that stores correct any pricing errors, resulting in a 98.6% Consumer Confidence rating. If consumers bought gravel, stone, soil, or fertilizer for gardening or landscaping projects at home, they can trust the Bureau was protecting that purchase too, as it inspected 553 licensed vehicle scales used to measure those priced-by-weight products. And, if consumers in 2024 fired up a gas grill for a cookout with family or friends, they should know there was a 91.7% Consumer Confidence rating for the 531-fuel dispensing liquid petroleum gas (LPG) meters inspected by the Bureau.

Accurate weights and measures devices ensure equity in the marketplace. By regularly inspecting the measuring instruments consumers rely on, Wisconsin’s Weights and Measures programs protect the integrity of everyday transactions. In 2024, DATCP inspections resulted in the following Consumer Confidence rates:

• Labeling of packaged products sold by weight (like sugar and vegetables): 97.5% accurate.
• Scales used to sell products by weight (like deli food or precious metals): 99.6%.
• Motor vehicle fuel pumps: 99.6%.
  • DATCP also tests for fuel quality, and 98.0% of the 4,817 fuel samples tested in 2024 met minimum national standards.

Last year, Weights and Measures staff conducted 213,497 inspections at 6,090 business locations in Wisconsin and tested or calibrated 15,309 physical standards that businesses and other organizations sent to the Wisconsin Weights and Measures Laboratory in Madison. DATCP issued 5,107 orders to businesses related to inaccurate measurements and prices in 2024, then conducted 739 re-inspections to verify that corrections were made.

“Consumers depend on the accurate measurement of the everyday goods we buy like food, fuel, raw materials, and more,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Consumers can be confident that the work done by the Bureau of Weights and Measures helps ensure they are paying the correct amount for their goods.”

Every year, Weights and Measures Week (March 1–7) marks the signing of the first U.S. weights and measures law by President John Adams on March 2, 1799. To learn more or to file a weights and measures complaint, visit datcp.wi.gov, call (608) 224-4942, or email DATCPWeightsAndMeasures@wisconsin.gov. Media can access footage of DATCP Weights and Measures inspections, calibrations, and laboratory testing at https://www.youtube.com/@widatcp.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.