Weights and Measures

"Making Spokane the Best Place to Shop in the Region"

Facilitating a Strong Economy

On any given day, every American makes dozens of purchase decisions — at the grocery store and the gas pump, to pay a taxi fare or feed a parking meter, for a yard of fabric or a gallon of home heating oil. As diverse as the character of these "daily necessities" may be, they all have one ingredient in common: the trust that is built into every transaction by a weights and measures program.

• In 1906 the Spokane city council took the lead in consumer protection by establishing the first Weights and Measures department in the state of Washington. The state did not establish their program until 1913. For over one hundred the department has worked on the publics behalf to maintain equity in the marketplace.
• While the state inspects scales and gas pumps every 3-4 years, it is the goal of the City of Spokane's Weights and Measures to inspect these and other measuring devices every year.

Consumer Protection

• The City of Spokane takes a proactive approach to Consumer Protection.
• Inspectors regularly check packaged goods, meat, and deli items to insure they contain the weight declared on the label.
• They also conduct price verification test on store scanners to help ensure that consumers pay the advertised price for the products they buy.
• Taximeters on taxis licensed to do business in Spokane are tested for accuracy annually as part of the licensing process.

No other city in Washington, except Seattle, provides the consumer with the level of protection that is available in the City of Spokane. In eastern Washington only the City of Spokane has an on going program that tests taximeters, scanners and commodities. The actions of the city council 100 years ago has served to make the City of Spokane the best place in the region to shop and to do business.

Economic Impact

A study commissioned by the State of Washington in the early 1990's concluded that where there is an active weights and measures program, the typical family of four saves about $650 a year. That is money they would be overcharged on purchases if Weights and Measures was not around.

That means Spokane consumers save over 32 MILLION dollars each year. That is in 1990's dollars, when gasoline cost about $1.30 a gallon. Adjusted for inflation the total in 2007 dollars would be much more

Consumer Tips

• Watch the weighing or measuring device. Make sure it starts at zero or you may be paying for something you didn't get.
• Check you receipts for price accuracy, especially on sale items.
• Check that items weighed in front of you either have no wrapping or container, or the scale makes allowance for it. When sold by weight, all items must be sold by NET WEIGHT; the wrapping or container should not be included. This also applies to packaged items, which must indicate net weight.
• When buying firewood, measure it on the truck whenever possible. A cord is 128 cubic feet when neatly stacked. Get a receipt that specifies the quantity purchased and the price paid along with the vendors name , address and phone number.
• Package size may be deceptive…remember KING SIZE, GIANT SIZE, FAMILY SIZE, etc mean nothing. Compare prices per like units between different sizes and different brands.