Watchdog cans pet food firm

A DANDENONG pet food manufacturer and distributor has been caught short-changing customers by selling underweight pet food the Director of Consumer Affairs Doctor David Cousins says.
Lovitt’s Pty Ltd last week entered into an enforceable undertaking with Dr Cousins to ensure all products are correctly weighted.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) trade measurement inspectors tested a range of Lovitt’s products at supermarkets across Victoria between August and October 2007.
Dr Cousins said inspectors found 127 underweight packets of Lovitt’s bird, rabbit and guinea pig food.
He said the trade measurement breaches demonstrated the importance of CAV’s compliance activities.
“Even small weight differences can add up to big losses for families.
“Consumer Affairs Victoria’s inspectors are working hard to make sure Victorians get a fair deal at the checkout,” Dr Cousins said.
The most underweight product recorded was labelled as a two kilogram pack of rabbit and guinea pig food product bought from a Kilsyth supermarket – but fell 13.9 percent short of that weight, he said.
Also underweight was a Whistler Small Wild Bird Mix labelled as three kilograms, short by 9.5 per cent, and Whistler Large Wild Bird seed labelled as three kilograms but 7.6 per cent short when inspectors weighed it.
“Lovitt’s acknowledges it has breached the Trade Measurements Act 1995 by selling underweight product and sections of the Fair Trading Act 1999 related to misleading and deceptive conduct,” Dr Cousins said.
He said it was concerning a major pet food manufacturer got it so wrong.
“We will be closely monitoring Lovitt’s in the future to ensure pet owners get what they pay for.”
The company has entered into a court enforceable undertaking with Dr Cousins to:
•Complete an audit and ensure its compliance program meets the Australian Standard;
•Ensure management and staff are trained and understand compliance requirements;
•Report back on audit and compliance progress.
Dr Cousins said if Lovitt’s failed to comply with the undertaking, the CAV could institute court proceedings.
Full details of Lovitt’s Pty Ltd trade measurement results are available on the Consumer Affairs website at www.consumer.vic.gov.au.