Short measures, big impact: Trading standards initiative ensures fairness in Oxfordshire’s pubs
Over half of the drinks purchased in 10 pubs were found to be short measured, according to a recent series of inspections by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.
The checks in February and March aimed to ensure pubs are complying with laws on serving alcoholic beverages.
Officers posed as the public and ordered wine, beer, or whisky at various venues across the county, which they then measured.
Of the drinks ordered, they found 12 of 16 glasses of wine, no pints of beer, and one of two shots of whisky were short measured.
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."
The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 mandates that 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 was £7.05, and 2.2 per cent short of a full glass, resulting in a potential loss to the consumer of up to 15p.
One glass of wine purchased was under by 13ml, meaning a potential loss of as much as 52p to the customer.
Businesses that served short measures were provided with guidance, and new measuring equipment was obtained where necessary.
Free support is available for people who would like to reduce their drinking through the council’s DrinkCoach service.
Anybody who is struggling with alcohol dependence can seek free specialist and confidential support from Turning Point. For referrals and queries, please call 01865 261690.
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