Metrology
5Metrology regulations
(1)
The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the units of measurement that are used to express quantities (whether of goods or other things), including provision about—
(a)
how units of measurement must or may be calculated or determined;
(b)
how units of measurement must or may be referred to.
(2)
The Secretary of State may also by regulations make provision about—
(a)
the quantities in which goods must or may be marketed in the United Kingdom, and
(b)
the units of measurement that must or may be used to express such quantities.
(3)
Provision described in subsection (2) may include—
(a)
requirements in relation to the marking or packaging of goods;
(b)
requirements in relation to the monitoring, assessment and verification of the quantities in which goods are marketed in the United Kingdom and the units of measurement used to express such quantities;
(c)
requirements in relation to the retention of documents and information.
(4)
The Secretary of State may not make regulations under this section to prevent or restrict the use of the pint in the marketing of—
(a)
draught beer or cider, or
(b)
milk in returnable containers.
(5)
In this section—
“goods” means tangible items (including packaging or labels);
a “pint” is equal to 0.56826125 cubic decimetres;
“quantity” means quantity expressed by number or a unit of measurement;
“unit of measurement” means any unit of measurement, including measurement of length, area, volume, capacity, mass, weight, time, temperature or electrical current.
(6)
Sections 6 to 11 and 13 make further provision about the power conferred by this section.
(7)
Regulations under this section are referred to in this Act as “metrology regulations”.