The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has called upon Ugandans to be vigilant while buying products in order to avoid being cheated through faulty weights and measurements.
This was revealed by Kirabo Sylvia, the Head of Marketing and Public Relations at UNBS, while speaking during an online media league organized by Consumer Education Trust (CONSENT) Uganda on Friday 28th August,2026 that brought together media practitioners from across the country.
Kirabo said many traders in markets, shops and roadside stalls are using tampered weighing scales and measuring equipment to cheat consumers, giving them less than what they pay for.
"We are urging all Ugandans to be very vigilant. When you go to buy meat, sugar, rice or any measured product, make sure the weighing scale is a UNBS verified scale with a sticker. If you feel cheated, demand to see the verification. You have a right to get the right measurement for your money," Kirabo Sylvia emphasized.
She noted that UNBS, under its Legal Metrology Department, is mandated to verify all weighing and measuring equipment used in trade, but consumers must participate by reporting traders who use stones, cups, or non-verified scales.
"Don't just accept. Ask questions. A weighing scale must read zero when there is nothing on it. It must be placed on a flat surface. And it must have a UNBS sticker showing it was verified this year," she added.
Kirabo further called upon journalists to sensitize the public to always ask for receipts and to report cheating cases to UNBS toll-free line 0800 133 133.
The online league was aimed at empowering media to educate consumers about their rights and how to avoid exploitation in the business world.
Bernard Bwambale the head of programs at Consumer Education Trust (CONSENT) Uganda, has appreciated the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) for its continuous enforcement against cheating in weights and measures in markets across the country.
Bwambale said UNBS has done a commendable job in cracking down on traders using fake and tampered weighing scales.
However, Bwambale tasked journalists and media practitioners to continue sensitizing communities on the importance of accurate weights and measures, saying many consumers in villages are still ignorant of their rights.
"Journalists, you are the voice of the voiceless. Many Ugandans in villages don't know that a scale must have a UNBS sticker, they don't know they have a right to demand right weight. Go and educate them in your local languages, on radio, TV and online," He emphasized.
He noted that cheating with weights does not only affect consumers financially, but also undermines fair competition among honest business people.
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