Overview
- The Department of Consumer Affairs issued an advisory on June 6 that amends the Legal Metrology SoP and gives manufacturers, packers and importers three months to comply with the new pack rules.
- The SoP now limits major edible oils to nine sizes: 200 ml/g, 500 ml/g, 1 litre/kg, 2 litre/kg, 3 litre/kg, 4 litre/kg, 5 litre/kg, 15 litre/kg and 20 litre/kg, and requires any volume declaration to show the equivalent weight.
- Packages below 200 ml/g and minor edible oils are exempted so small, low‑cost options remain available to low‑income consumers.
- Industry groups that took part in consultations representing about 90% of the sector welcomed the decision, while companies face near‑term work to relabel, repackage and manage inventory during the transition.
- The change reverses the 2023 relaxation that led to many odd‑sized packs and is intended to improve price transparency in a market that is heavily used by households and dependent on large imports.