The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is in preparations to crack down on bakeries that supply underweight bread on the market at a national scale. The move is being made at a time when the market is swamped with pre-packaged goods that don’t meet the specifications and standards of the bureau.

UNBS discovered that, bread is the most frequently found underweight product on the market at a meeting the bureau held with makers, importers, and merchants of packaged food and non-food products.

Lawrence Kitimbo, a Senior Metrologist at UNBS noted that, the bureau’s field research shows that bread obtained from marketplaces and small retail establishments frequently does not adhere to weight restrictions, while bread produced and sold in supermarkets exhibits good compliance.

“We have received numerous complaints regarding bread produced and sold in regular markets and small retail establishments. UNBS is close to adopting weight restrictions on a nationwide level, notably for bread,” Kitimbo said.

“If we find anyone shipping or exhibiting for sale any bread that is underweight and does not correspond to the quantity stated, we shall close them,” he added.

Leatitiah Namubiru, the Manager for Legal Metrology at UNBS revealed during the same meeting that, the bureau will enforce the Weights and Measurements Act, as stipulated in Chapter 103 of the Ugandan Constitution.

The purpose of UNBS is to formulate and promote the use of standards, enforce standards in protection of the public health and safety and the environment against dangerous, counterfeit and substandard products.