ANPC controls have found that many bread producers vary the weight per piece, regularly reducing the quantity by 5-20 grams, in order to increase their profits, but deceiving consumers, who are unable to notice these variations, says the act.
Aurel Popescu, president of Rompan, says the initiative was put forward by the industry itself.
“We want to assist the consumer, in order to avoid cases of producers selling bread filled with air,” said Popescu.
According to the act, a bread product will have to weigh at least 200g. Its weight may be raised by the producer only in increments of 100g. Bread sold in quantities larger than 1000g, which is weighed in the store, will be an exception.
Drops in the net weight of unpackaged bread, due to the loss of water content while stored, will be accepted as follows: in 24 hours, no more than 10% for bread weighing 300g, 9% for products weighing 400-500g, 7.5% for bread weighing 600-1000g and 7% for quantities larger than one kilo.
Romania’s legal bread market is worth about EUR1 billion yearly.