NIST Handbook 133: Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods (2011 Ed.)

Published

April 27, 2011

Author(s)

Kenneth S. Butcher, Linda D. Crown, David Sefcik, Lisa Warfield

Abstract

This handbook has been prepared as a procedural guide for the compliance testing of net contents statements on packaged goods. Compliance testing of packaged goods is the determination of the conformance results of the packaging, distribution, and retailing process (the packages) to specific legal requirements for net content declarations. This handbook has been developed primarily for the use of government officials; however it should also be useful to commercial and industrial establishments in the areas of packaging, distribution, and sale of commodities. In conducting compliance testing, the conversion of quantity values from one measurement system to another (e.g., from the metric system to the avoirdupois system) should be handled with careful regard to the implied correspondence between accuracy of the data and the number of digits displayed. In all conversion, the number of significant digits retained should ensure that accuracy is neither sacrificed nor exaggerated. For this edition of Handbook 133 all dimensions for test procedures, devices, or environments have been rounded to two significant digits (e.g., 2.5 cm to 1.0 in) or to a precision level applicable to the test equipment (e.g., 200 kPa for 25 psi and 35 MPa for 5000 psi).

Citation

Handbook (NIST HB) - 133

Report Number

133

NIST Pub Series

Handbook (NIST HB)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.hb.133-2011

Local Download

Keywords

packaging and labeling, measurement, compliance testing, content statement, labeling, labeling compliance, net content declarations packaging regulations

Citation

Butcher, K. , Crown, L. , Sefcik, D. and Warfield, L. (2011), NIST Handbook 133: Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods (2011 Ed.), Handbook (NIST HB), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.hb.133-2011, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=908425 (Accessed December 12, 2025)