Pubs found serving short measures
16/04/2025
Trading Standards found that the public were losing out with over half of the drinks purchased
Over half of the drinks purchased by undercover trading standards officers at 10 Oxfordshire pubs were found to be short measured.
Officers from Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team posed as members of the public and ordered wine, beer, or whisky, which they then measured.
Of the drinks ordered 12 of 16 glasses of wine were short measured. One of the two shots of whisky in the test also fell short.
However, in all cases the beer served was a full measure.
The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 mandates that establishments selling alcoholic drinks 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. The 2.2 percent shortfall in the glass was a loss to the consumer of up to 15 pence.
In the test one glass of wine purchased was under by 13ml, meaning the customer lost out by as much as 52 pence.
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 businesses that served short measures were provided with guidance. New measuring equipment was obtained where necessary.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
