Scots are being short-changed when they buy a dram in the pub, a new Trading Standards survey has found.
The Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards’ Fair Measure project took place in 17 local authorities across Scotland in August and September at the height of the tourist season.
Trading standards officers visited 165 pubs and other licensed premises and ordered 334 handpoured drinks, including malt whisky.
Of these samples, 146 (44%) resulted in a short measure less than the 25 ml or 35 ml legal measure sold in each premises.
Some drinks were as much as 20% short.
Although the project has been running for five years, pubs are still selling their customers short. In 2006 45% of all measures were short so little improvement has been made since then.’Very disappointing’Some publicans have been issued with guidance on how to ensure correct measures are dispensed while others have been issued with a warning letter.
However, where short measure has been significantly less than they should be licensees can be reported to the procurator fiscal.
Neil Coltart, chairman of SCOTSS said: ”This is a very disappointing outcome and the results certainly justify local authorities carrying out this sort of project.
”The extremes of measures at both ends of the spectrum show that we need to work with the licensed trade to train staff to provide accurate measures to consumers.”
He added: ”It is a matter of concern that few measures tested were completely accurate.
”For health and safety reasons as well as the obvious fair measure, Scottish consumers need to have confidence in the accuracy of measures of all types of alcohol that are supplied in licensed premises.”