Consumer Council recently spot checked bakeries to compare the price and weight of white bread. For the same kind of product, weight differences ranged from 7% to 40%. Bakeries are suggested to indicate clearly the weight of bread on the package. A spot-check on the price and weight of white bread has been completed earlier by taking samples of packs of 5-piece white bread from 20 bakeries. Price difference was determined according to weighing standard used in mainland China and differences of about 7% to 40% were observed in all 20 samples. Consumer Council indicates that for pre-packed food items such as white bread, bakeries should include product weight on the package as it is a crucial factor in consumers' decision to make purchase; quality of bread will also be ensured as bakeries standardize bread weight when product weight is printed on the packages. Bakeries are also reminded to include any ingredients, expiry date, information of supplier, and batch code, etc. on the package. For price comparison, prices for each 100g of white bread varied from MOP1.66 to MOP3.27, price variation of white bread will be followed up by the Council later this year. Details of the report on price and weight of white bread is now available in the current issue no. 216 of Consumer Report. The Council has received a total of 3,438 cases in the first half year of 2011, around 25% of which are complaint cases and others are suggestion cases. Cases filed by tourists amount to 12% of total cases. Complaint statistics can also be found in the latest issue of Consumer Report. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the two offices of Consumer Council, Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources online at the Council's official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
