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Ag department checks
product contents

Question: Who or what government agency is responsible for assuring that the consumer is actually getting (in weight) what the product advertises? There is a "coffee war" going on and the companies are playing with the consumers by offering their products in seven-, eight- and 10-ounce measurements at different prices. For years, I have taken the grinds out of the bag and placed them in a different container. It used to be I could not fit the entire contents of an eight-ounce bag into the container. Now, no matter whether it is seven, eight or 10 ounces, all of it fits into the container. On a rare occasion, a 10-ounce bag does not fill the container completely.

Answer: The state Department of Agriculture's Measurement Standards Branch is responsible for making sure consumers get the amount of coffee they pay for.

And, weight, not volume, is the method by which the branch determines compliance with net content requirements, said Dianne Yamamoto, a packaging and labeling specialist with the Measurement Standards Branch.

If you believe you are being shorted, call the branch at 832-0690 and it can check to see if there are any possible violations.

"The differing volumes and weights of the ground coffee may be affected by the degree of fineness or coarseness of the coffee grinds, the product compaction, the moisture content, the addition of flavorings, or overfilling or underfilling by the packager," Yamamoto noted.

But regardless of volume, coffee is required to be sold by weight and the weight of the coffee in the package should be the same as the net weight declared on the package, she said.

Yamamoto explained that checking consumer packages is just one way inspectors ensure the correct quantity is being given.

They also conduct audit inspections to detect possible net content violations, where packages may be subjected to more rigorous official testing, she said.

It's not possible for inspectors to check every single package, so a system of sampling is used.

"However, knowledgeable consumers are often responsible for alerting our office and directing our attention to possible packaging violations that may have gone undetected in our routine inspections," Yamamoto said.

In this way, consumer complaints are considered "an integral part and an extension of our package-checking program as well as the other inspection activities of the branch," she said.

Yamamoto said that in addition to checking contents, inspectors also make price verification inspections at retail establishments, check price displays of retail items, review labels of consumer commodities for compliance with general labeling requirements and check commodities for the proper methods of sale.

On top of this, measurement standards inspectors also are responsible for checking and certifying weighing and measuring devices used in commercial transactions (such as retail scales, gasoline pumps, taximeters, etc.) and investigating odometer discrepancies.

Complaints about any of these subjects also can be made by calling 832-0690.

Q: I recently returned to Hawaii after retiring. I am having a hard time finding a place or club where older people gather. There was a club, I think it was called 39-Plus, and the Tahitian Lanai, which was a great place to meet people. Neither is still in existence, and I can't find anything similar to them. There are many senior citizen clubs with a great many activities that meet in the morning. Many of the people I meet in these activities don't want to go out in the evenings. It would be nice to meet others for an evening get-together for concerts, picnics, social gatherings. Do you know of any such club/organization or have any idea where to find other older citizens who would like to get together?

A: Any readers know of such a club? If so, please call 529-4773 and leave a message.

Mahalo

To two carloads of young men who stopped and helped when my dog and another dog got into a fight on Keolu Drive on Wednesday, July 13. I didn't get their names, but want them to know I really appreciated their help. -- Liz

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