A South Korean lawmaker has proposed legislation requiring that packaged goods contain at least as much as their labels indicate, seeking to close a loophole that allows manufacturers to legally underfill products.
Under the current Metrology Act, "quantity-labeled products" are items whose contents cannot be increased or decreased without opening the container or packaging. A total of 27 product categories—from rice to snacks to toilet paper—are designated by presidential decree as quantity-labeled products. The key requirement is that the actual content must not deviate from the labeled amount beyond permitted tolerances.
However, a recent investigation found numerous cases where actual contents fell short of labeled quantities. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee in October, 3,018 out of 13,410 products (22.5%) surveyed over the past five years (2020-2024) contained less than the labeled amount.
Of these, 2,827 products (21.1%) were classified as "compliant but under-quantity"—meeting legal standards within permitted tolerances but still containing less than labeled. The highest rates of under-quantity products were found in liquefied petroleum gas (47.4%), honey (37.5%), paint (37.1%), lubricants (30%), and grains (28.9%). These were followed by tea, coffee, chocolate and cocoa products (27.5%), milk (26.7%), beverages and alcoholic drinks (25.9%), spices (24.3%), and seasonings, cooking oils and sauces (23.0%).
The tolerance system was originally designed to account for technical difficulties in achieving exact quantities during production. However, critics argue that some manufacturers exploit this by deliberately producing at the minimum legal threshold to reduce costs.
In response, Representative Kim Won-yi of the Democratic Party of Korea introduced an amendment to the Metrology Act in November. The bill requires that actual contents be "greater than or equal to" the labeled quantity. The current law only stipulates that the difference between labeled and actual quantities must not exceed permitted tolerances. In simple terms, the amendment would make it legal to include more than labeled but illegal to include even slightly less.
The bill would authorize public disclosure of violators and require the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy to designate a dedicated agency for quantity-labeled products. Major economies including the European Union, the United States, and China already enforce "average quantity requirements" mandating that packaged contents must on average equal or exceed the labeled amount.
Experts also point out the need to significantly expand the 27 product categories currently subject to quantity labeling. They argue that products experiencing rapid consumption growth, such as pet supplies and health supplements, should also be subject to systematic quantity management.
Rep. Kim has been praised as "a model of legislative activity" for conducting field investigations and policy discussions to address consumer complaints, even amid intense partisan conflict. If the amendment passes, consumers can expect far fewer instances of receiving less than what labels promise.
