Inspectors in every U.S. state test scales at grocery stores using standard weights and rigorous procedures.

View as a Web Page How Do You Know You're Getting What You Pay For at the Grocery Store? Whether it's bananas, olives, potato salad or cereal, many products are priced according to their weight. And that weight is likely determined on a scale tested and certified by a specially trained state or local inspector. Weights and measures underpin approximately half of the United States gross domestic product (GDP), so it's important to get things right. To ensure you are getting the correct amount of product at the supermarket, inspectors routinely examine and certify scales for accuracy. To do that, they carry what they call "field standard weights," which are designed to be used outside of their state or local laboratory. For instance, the field standard weights for inspecting grocery scales usually contain increments of 1 pound, 2 pounds and 5 pounds so they can test a scale to full capacity (usually 30 pounds for most grocery scales), as well as smaller weights to ensure that the scale is accurate at smaller loads. Read More MORE FROM THIS SERIES How Do You Measure It? Much of the world around us would be a mystery without good measurements. Whether it's the depth of the ocean, the nutrients in your cereal, or the age of dinosaur fossils, measurements help us to learn about our world and make good decisions about what to do in everyday life. In our "How Do You Measure It?" web series, we answer questions that will help you better understand how our modern world works — and why good measurements play an important role in your life. Read More

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