Have you ever noticed the tiny lowercase ‘e’ printed on countless food items you buy at supermarkets like Tesco, Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons? It’s often overlooked, blending into the sea of barcodes, weight information, and copyright logos. But this little ‘e’ actually holds a significant meaning – it stands for ‘estimated.’
The ‘e’ symbol signifies that the weight printed on the package is an estimated value. It means manufacturers don’t individually weigh every single packet they sell. Instead, they set up their production lines to ensure the vast majority of products meet the advertised weight on average. This means that while a bag of crisps might say 230g, it’s technically acceptable for it to be slightly underweight due to this estimation.
One mother discovered this when she bought a bag of crisps from Aldi labelled 230g but found it weighed only 139g. She expressed her dismay, highlighting the significant amount of air in the bag, prompting her to weigh it. While this might seem deceptive, the ‘e’ symbol is actually governed by EU regulations. This mark is not mandatory but allows manufacturers to sell their products in any EU country without needing to comply with individual national weight requirements.
The EU’s ‘Your Europe’ website explains that the ‘e’ symbol confirms the product complies with EU rules regarding weight indication and measuring methods for prepackaged goods. It ensures the average weight of products from the same batch is equal to or greater than the advertised weight. However, a small proportion of packages can be underweight, known as a ‘tolerable negative error,’ which is outlined in EU legislation.
In essence, while occasional underweight packages with the ‘e’ symbol are legal, consistently underweight items would be a violation of EU rules. So, next time you see that tiny ‘e’, remember that it represents an estimation and a potential for slight variance in weight. While it’s not necessarily cause for concern for a single purchase, it’s important to be aware of the regulations and to check for consistent underweight items over time.
