Latest news with #AQS
ABC News
10-08-2025
- Business
- ABC News
What the e-symbol means on common foods, from coleslaw to shredded cheese
Have you ever felt slightly short-changed by a salad mix or bag of shredded cheese? You may be familiar with an "e" symbol or e-mark that appears after the listed weight on pre-packaged food products (cheese, cereal, butter, chips, to name a few). Despite "popular mythology", it does not mean estimate, according to the National Measurement Institute's Tony Blefari. But it does relate to variations in product weight, and how much variation is acceptable. So, how much can a product vary under the system? And, what can you do if you suspect you're being ripped off? Mr Blefari says the e-mark on the packaging of a product means it is being packed and manufactured according to the Average Quantity System (AQS). "It doesn't mean estimate in Australia, it's more related to the [European Union] law." He says the e-mark and the AQS have a French origin and "when you translate the words, it does mean some sort of estimation, but in Australia, the e-mark does not mean estimate". According to the National Measurement Institute, the AQS is an "internationally agreed method of determining the size or quantity of pre-packaged articles". It's subject to national regulations and "is intended for use in large-scale packaging plants where goods are packed in the same quantity in batches of at least 100 packages". Mr Blefari says it helps Australian food manufacturers export because it is an international industry standard. Associate professor in marketing, retail and consumer behaviour, Louise Grimmer, says it is helpful for consumers to understand "that the weight of [all] food packages does not have to be exact" under the AQS. While it is usually cheaper to make or prepare food from scratch yourself, Dr Grimmer says, "many consumers are happy to exchange paying a little more for the convenience that pre-packaged products offer". Unfortunately, the answer is not simple because it depends on factors such as the size of the batch the product was manufactured within. Some shortfall or "tolerable deficiency" is allowed, Mr Blefari says. For example, he says that in a batch of 500 sticks of 500-gram butter, it would be acceptable for seven sticks to have a shortfall of 15 grams or 3 per cent. "In essence", food under the system has a "97.5 per cent assurance" that the volume in the packet will match the label. Consumer campaigner Christopher Zinn says significant discrepancies in large-scale commercially produced food are "pretty rare". Whether deliberate or intentional, packaged foods are more likely to be sold underweight than products in less formal settings like local farmers' markets, he says. If you notice a pre-packaged food appears less full, is lighter, compares poorly to similar products, or comes in underweight on your home scales, Mr Blefari says to contact the retailer or the manufacturer. He says you can also contact the Institute with as much information as possible, as they can investigate. Mr Zinn says you can check the weight on your home scales if you suspect something is too underweight or as an "exercise in curiosity". And "if [something you bought] is seriously underweight, you should actually take it back".
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quilters unite in Branson for national Quilt Week event
BRANSON, Mo. — Quilters from the Ozarks and beyond will be gathering in Branson over the next few days for the American Quilters Society's Quilt Week. The show at the Branson Convention Center is one of five AQS shows across the nation this year. Michelle Renne Hiatt is the Executive Show Director with AQS. She says in this day and age, quilts are more than just functional; they're actually art. The quilt show features hundreds of quilts on display. Some quilts are competing for $54,000 in cash awards, including a $10,000 prize for best in show. Others are part of themed displays like the AQS Creativity Challenge and museum pieces on a trip away from home like Two of Us: Quilts by Pat Holly & Sue Nickels. In addition to the quilts on display, there's also a merchant mall filled with quilting supplies and machines for sale. Some of the vendors are local nonprofits. Ryan's Pillowcases for Smiles has a sit-and-sew booth where attendees can help make pillowcases that will be donated to help with the stress and emotional impact of illness on children. Attendees can also participate in classes. One of the classes will be taught by young quilter Lorelei Kuecker. She has been sewing since she was 5-years-old and found a passion for long-arm quilting. 'When I found quilting, I found a box of scraps that my great-great-grandmother had cut,' Kuecker said. 'I decided this was kind of my chance to branch off on my own and do what I love which is sewing but do it on my own and that's where quilting came from.' Kuecker has two of her pieces of quilted art on display and is even wearing a quilted dress she made herself. Kuecker says her pieces can take months to complete and she loves being a part of the quilting community. She says her hobby has now become her career with her business Pigs in a Blanket Quilting. 'I love meeting all the different quilters that come to the shows, sometimes just standing in front of my quilt all day people come to visit,' Kuecker said. 'It's just the people in this industry it's so much fun.' This is the fourth year the AQS has held a show in Branson, and Hiatt tells me this is a unique opportunity for quilters from all over to meet. 'Some of them will meet their new bestie in that class that they never knew could be halfway across the country, but then they'll start going to events together, so the quilting community is just a fabulous experience overall The AQS Quilt show is from Wednesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about tickets, classes, and joining AQS you can visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
