Supplier burns $5000 for underweight firewood

A distributor who supplied underweight packs of firewood has been fined $5000 plus court costs in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Kerry Shine said.

Hillbilly Firewood Pty Ltd, a company owned and operated by Gary Jones of Somerset Dam, was charged with 10 counts of breaching the Trade Measurement Act 1990.

"The short-weight packages of firewood were found at a service station in Herston in August last year, during spot checks conducted by trade measurement inspectors from the Office of Fair Trading," Mr Shine said.

"Ten out of the 12 packages of firewood taken and weighed by the inspectors were found to be underweight by an average of 1.7 kilograms, or 8.5 per cent."

Mr Shine said the 20 kilogram packs of wood were sold for $14.99 each.

"While the discrepancies might seem relatively small, over time they can add up to the detriment of consumers," he said.

"The owner of the business told inspectors he employed backpackers to fill the bags with wood and he did not routinely check the weight of the product before it was sent to retailers. Instead he relied on 'feeling' the weight.

"He told inspectors he was aware the wood lost weight through dehydration after it was packed, but the magistrate said the company had a legal obligation to take this into account when it packaged the wood.

"It is simply not good enough to supply products without having an adequate checking measure in place.

“When consumers buy pre-packaged items, they usually have to rely on the weight quoted on the packaging, and they are entitled to get what they pay for.

"This penalty should serve as a warning to other traders throughout Queensland that they must abide by the laws put in place to protect consumers."

For more information about Queensland's trade measurement laws, visit the Office of Fair Trading website at www.fairtrading.com.au or call 13 13 04.

Media contact: Tim Goodwin, 3239 6400 / 0488 799 273