An Australian government department is set to audit pubs to ensure they aren't shortchanging patrons by underpouring booze.
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The National Measurement Institute will blitz licensed venues throughout the country over the next 12 months to check customers are receiving the correct amount of alcohol.
It's one of four areas Australia's peak measurement body will target through its "legal metrology compliance activities" this year, with fines of up to $1050 per breach.
And while the institute does use secret shoppers, it is generally National Measurement Institute officials who head to the pub to check the measurement devices are working and the glassware is clearly labelled.
Spirit dispensers are usually the biggest problem, as they are not often cleaned property and a build-up of sugar can stop a full nip being poured.
Of the 1113 dispensers tested in 2017-18, 34 were short-pouring. That was a big improvement on the previous year, where 62 of 945 dispensers tested came up short. Sadly, officials do not get to drink the leftovers.
The audits are done randomly although people can dob in pubs doing the wrong thing.
The institute will also target petrol stations, after the proportion of dodgy fuel dispensers doubled between 2016-17 and 2017-18 to 4.8 per cent.
Nearly two-thirds of complaints to the National Measurement Institute are about potential breaches of trade measurement law from fuel dispensers providing a short measure.
However only a small proportion of those complaints are found to be justified when investigated.
Supermarkets will also be hit with secret shoppers, to ensure packaged goods measure up to what they say on the label.
More than 70,000 types of packaged goods were tested last year. Frozen seafood was one of the biggest rip-offs, with 9.8 per cent of packages tested found to be short.
About 9.4 per cent of processed meat packets were also found to be lighter than advertised.
One contentious area the institute does not have a view on though is the variability of the size of pots and pints across Australia.
While beer on tap is usually sold in an approved batch-tested glass or jug with its volume marked in millilitres or litres and its capacity defined by a Plimsoll line, there are no prescribed sizes for beverage measures for the sale of beer, ale and stout.
Terms such as 'middy', 'pot' or 'schooner' do not legally specify a particular size either.
That's because the institute's role is to make sure people are selling they amount they say they are, not to unify how or what they sell, we are told.
Pubs selling beer in "non-verified" or "non-standard" vessels such as mason jars, growlers or squealers must advertise the capacity of the container, either at the point of sale, or on a receipt or tag on the bottle for takeaway containers.
