A series of recent inspections by Oxfordshire Trading Standards has revealed that more than half of drinks sold by local pubs were short measured.
The inspections, which took place in February and March, found that 12 out of 16 glasses of wine and 1 in 2 glasses of whisky contained less than stipulated under the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988. None of the pints of beer ordered were found to be short measured however.
By law, establishments selling alcoholic beverages must serve them in specified measurements. These include half pint and pint for beer, 125ml, 175ml, or 250ml for wine, and 25ml for spirits.
The average cost of a 175ml glass of wine purchased by Officers, posing as members of the public, was £7.05. With the average glass inspected being 2.2% short of a full glass, the average potential loss to the consumer equated to 15p. However, one glass of wine purchased was short by 13ml, meaning a potential loss of as much as 52p to the customer.
Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said “Many people across the county enjoy a pint or a glass of wine in the pub with friends. However, it’s not a cheap commodity, and the inspection showed that customers could be losing out if it’s not served correctly.
“Ensuring that every pint of beer and glass of wine served in Oxfordshire pubs meets the required standards is crucial for maintaining customer trust and satisfaction. Our Trading Standards team is committed to making sure residents get exactly what they pay for.”
Businesses that served short measures were provided with guidance, and new measuring equipment was obtained where necessary.
Research commissioned by CTSI last year found that 70% of alcoholic drink sold across Britain were short measured, equating to an average annual loss of £114.40 for wine drinkers and £88.40 for beer drinkers.
