Trading Standards officers are carrying out undercover visits to licensed premises across South Lanarkshire to check compliance with legal measures for the sale of draught and non-prepacked alcoholic drinks.
Checks target spirits and wine measures
The inspections form part of the council’s Fair Measure Initiative, which aims to ensure drinks such as draught beer and cider, wine, fortified wine and spirits are supplied in the specific quantities set out by The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988.
Examples of prescribed quantities commonly used in licensed premises include 125ml and 175ml measures for still wine and 25ml or 35ml measures for spirits including gin, rum, vodka and whisky. Officers are using verified thimble measures while posing as customers to test whether establishments are serving the correct amount.
“Many customers of licensed premises will be familiar with the concept of prescribed measures... During this Fair Measure Initiative, our Trading Standards Officers are posing as customers and, so far, three out of ten licensed premises that they have visited have served short measure of spirits.” — Fraser Carlin, Head of Planning and Regulatory Services, South Lanarkshire Council
Findings and enforcement
So far, the programme has found that three out of ten premises visited served short measures of spirits. In one instance a whisky pour was measured as being 12.5% short, which the council said represented a financial loss to the customer of 49p for that drink.
Where short measures are identified, Trading Standards officers are taking appropriate enforcement action. The council has not published details of specific penalties in individual cases but emphasises that compliance with the Weights and Measures Order is a legal requirement for licensed premises.
Support for businesses
As part of the initiative running over the summer months, the council is offering free practical training to local licensed premises on the correct use of verified thimble measures to ensure the proper legal measure is served. Businesses interested in this training or in further information on weights and measures are invited to contact the team by email.
- Who is checking: South Lanarkshire Council Trading Standards officers
- What is being checked: legal measures for draught beer, cider, wine, fortified wine and non-prepacked spirits
- Support offered: free practical training on using verified thimble measures
| Measure type | Example legal quantities |
|---|---|
| Still wine | 125ml, 175ml |
| Spirits | 25ml, 35ml |
Any local businesses requiring training or information are asked to email business.enquiries@southlanarkshire.gov.uk.
The programme is intended to protect consumers from short measures and to help businesses avoid inadvertent breaches of the law through practical support and enforcement where necessary.
