asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if there is a regulation governing the weight of loaves of bread; and if according to the law bakers must supply loaves of the correct weight.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Weight of Loaves.
14.
The law requires that bread be sold by weight, but does not specify that it be sold in any specific units of weight.
Has the Minister or his Department any machinery available so as to safeguard the public from buying bread underweight? Is the Minister aware that many people buy, we will say, the 2 lb. loaf or the 4 lb. loaf as the case may be, and what steps are taken to make sure that the weight is in the loaf the customer has purchased? Is there any machinery in his Department to ensure that bakers give the full weight in the bread to the customer?
You could create machinery if you thought it desirable but, from the experience we have with regard to weight, it shows that the number of overweights is likely to balance the underweights.
Are there what we could describe as "check-ups"?
We could create machinery, if necessary. Weight has been checked at some time but there is not much difference between the number of overweights and the number of underweights.
Could the Minister say if most of the complaints were in respect of bread sold underweight rather than bread sold over-weight?
I will give the Deputy three guesses.