The National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro) gives some safety tips for consumers who go shopping this Easter. In terms of measurement, for example, the director of Legal Metrology at Inmetro, Marcelo Moraes, said today (5th), in Rio de Janeiro, that consumers should pay attention to the weight of already packaged products, such as eggs of chocolate and frozen fish.
Easter Sunday will be on April 9th. Moraes stressed that “the consumer has to observe the indication of the net weight of what he is buying. He has to see if the weight is indicated, ”he said. Net weight is the quantity of the product that the consumer is carrying. Easter egg, for example, has numbering that serves only as a reference for the manufacturer. “That number is commercial”, informed Moraes. A product with a larger number does not necessarily weigh more: each brand adopts a different size scale.
What matters is the net weight that is indicated and shows how many grams of chocolate are in the egg. “It doesn’t consider either the packaging or the toy that eventually comes inside that egg”. The director also stated that the consumer who has doubts about the net weight of the egg should contact Inmetro – through the Ombudsman – to make a complaint. “And we will see if this was in agreement or not”. The institute’s Ombudsman works on the toll-free number 0800 285 1818.
Cod
In frozen products that are prepackaged, such as fish such as cod, Moraes also drew attention to the net weight, which must be clearly indicated on the label. The marking should not consider the weight of the package, nor the layer of glaciation, which is a thin outer layer of ice to protect the product. In the tests carried out in its laboratories, Inmetro has a methodology to verify the net weight excluding the packaging and measure the product itself.
The same recommendation applies to frozen fish, in case of any doubt regarding the weight indicated on the package. This must be communicated to the Inmetro Ombudsman. “If we find any irregularity, we will take the appropriate measures with that producer, importer or seller, precisely so that the consumer does not have problems”, he explained.
If the citizen prefers to buy a product that is weighed at the time, the orientation is to check if the scale has the Inmetro label with the phrase “Verified until 2023” or “until 2024”, which indicates that the scale is ready for use, and if it is sealed and without the seal violated.
Toys
If there is a toy as a gift inside the chocolate egg, the packaging must contain the phrase: “Attention: contains a certified toy under the Brazilian Conformity Assessment System”. The gift must also present the Inmetro seal.
Another important thing concerns the age group of the toast. The director advised that parents and guardians should check whether the egg packaging informs the age group for which the toy is intended or, if applicable, whether it contains a sentence indicating that the gift has no age restriction.
According to Inmetro, a toy should never be offered to children who are in the age group below that recommended by the supplier. “These are points that depend on the consumer”, highlighted Moraes. Inmetro certifies the toy for a certain age group. A toy for a larger child may not be safe for another smaller range, like babies, for example.
You still need to be alert for packaging and accessories. Parents and guardians should be careful when passing Easter egg packaging to children, as they can pose risks through wires, staples, string, cords, plastic bags. The objective is to avoid the possibility of injury.
