华人超市里的磅秤

最近,因需快递几磅保健品,嫌家中的体重秤不够精确。在购物时顺便让多伦多北约克某华人超市帮助称一下重量,秤上显示6.43磅。将原封未动的纸箱送到快递处再一过磅,令人跌破眼镜,竟然只有5.35磅!就是说超市量称的重量比实际上多了20%。简单推理一下,快递公司没有理由为货品减重,毕竟这一行也是凭重量计费。这样,结论一目了然,超市的秤大有猫腻,严重失准。

试想,如果我买$10的商品,所剩现金只有$9.5,超市老板是否会应允少收5%的付款?答案是几乎不可能,恐怕1%都不好商量。那么作为消费者,为什么就要被宰被坑多付20%的款?超市与民计民生息息相关,长年累月频繁消费,那一台台失准的磅秤,暗中从千家万户巧取豪夺了多少银两?

凡事皆有公理,商品价格即使再贵,若为我所需且能接受标价,无可抱怨,是为公平。以前在国内,集市上短斤少两的事屡见不鲜,正规超市则比较循规蹈矩。来到加拿大这个较高诚信度的社会,人们几乎遗忘了买卖中还存在着度量衡误差的问题,商家在此不免有利用公众对社会的信任之嫌。君子爱财,取之有道。反之不但有失公平,而且还失德犯法,是对消费者信任的亵渎。

加拿大是高度法治的社会,Measurement Canada (加拿大计量部)对度量衡的误差率有着非常详尽的规定,从金银到钢铁木材,从鱼肉禽蛋海产谷物到酒类,以至于皮革纺织品等等都明确规定了可以接受的出入和误差。对超市食品磅秤的误差,一公斤的容忍度是0.2克,即千分之零点二。

84. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and sections 85 and 87, the limits of error set out in the following table apply to all weights that are multiples or submultiples of the gram, commonly called metric weights:

为了简单起见, 我将下列法律条文只翻译大意:重量和长度计量法规指出,任何人擅自更改调整用于商品交易中的计量仪器使之不符合法规所要求的标准,皆为犯罪。无论谁卖的货品如果重量的误差超过了规定的误差标准皆为犯罪。 Weights and Measures Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. W-6)1970-71-72, c. 36, s. 29.

29. Every person is guilty of an offence who  (b) in such manner or in such circumstances as may be prescribed, alters, adjusts or repairs a device that that person knows or might reasonably be expected to know is or is to be used in trade and does not report the alteration, adjustment or repair in the manner prescribed; or  (c) alters any device that is or is to be used in trade in such a manner that it ceases to meet the requirements of this Act and the regulations.  Interference with seized devices or commodities

(3) Every person who, without the permission of an inspector, removes, alters or interferes in any way with any device, commodity or other thing seized and detained by an inspector under section 39 is guilty of an offence.  1970-71-72, c. 36, s. 31.  Short measure on sale  33. (1) Every person who sells or offers for sale any commodity, by number or unit of measurement, is guilty of an offence if the quantity of the commodity that that person delivers or offers for sale is, subject to prescribed limits of error, less than the quantity that that person  (a) purports to sell or offer for sale; or  (b) should deliver or offer for sale on the basis of  (i) the total price paid or to be paid for the commodity, and  (ii) the stated price per number or unit of measurement.

凭心而论,华人超市为我们的生活提供了便利,大家也不希望哪家超市因为违法被罚而影响生意。本文在此提醒各个超市,检测一下你用的磅秤,免得消费者的抱怨提交到政府部门而受到法律的制裁。

也许,我的经历纯属偶然。假使,超市的磅秤也会经常少称了份量,让买家沾了便宜。 既然一个小小的偶然事件将这件消费者忽略的事摆上了台面,那么希望公众、商家以及媒体关注重视,采取措施,杜绝漏洞,还买卖以公平,也还清白和尊重给那些遵纪守法的商家。(来源:华夏文摘)

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