Are you Legal?

Trading Standards are for the protection of consumers, taxpayers and the environment.

Companies and organisations should be aware that any resale of fuel by way of VAT invoices will require certification of the dispensing and data capture equipment by the local Trading Standards office. This applies to all situations whether selling to staff, associate companies, neighbouring businesses, or local authorities, providing fuel for private service partners. One of the essential criteria is selling diesel by raising a VAT invoice.

In all these cases, the activities will be of interest to the local trading standards office. It is their responsibility to inspect the dispensing equipment to ensure that you are providing fuel using verifiable and absolutely accurate conditions of measurement.

Trading Standards will effectively put a seal of approval on the dispensing equipment to guarantee that it is proven to be accurate. They will only apply these seals to equipment that has been manufactured in accordance with national ‘Weights and Measures’ and European standards and certified as such.

[quote]As the price of diesel continues to escalate, so to does the importance of good regulation and certification of all the dispensing equipment.[/quote]

This is a design consideration, it’s not simply a matter of adjusting and calibrating existing commercial pumps to achieve the required standard. The entire basic design has to be approved.

Manufacturers are obliged to obtain a certificate issued by the national and European Weights and Measures organisation before they can market equipment for resale operations.

The local trading standards office will only provide a seal if they can see that certificate. Most diesel fuelling facilities comprise two main elements; the pump dispenser and the fuel management (monitoring) system. It should be noted that although these may be certified as individual components there must also be a joint certificate covering the entire installation.

If you are reselling diesel and your equipment does not carry the appropriate Trading Standards seals, you are breaking the law. If you are unsure about the status of your equipment you should consult the local Trading Standards officer who will provide a clearly defined ruling.

“As the price of diesel continues to escalate, so to does the importance of good regulation and certification of all the dispensing equipment,” says Merridale sales director Stephen Hannan.

“This protects you as the reseller as well as your customer. Since we are an approved equipment manufacturer, Merridale can advise on existing installations and if necessary we can provide a suitable upgrade to bring the equipment up to the necessary resale standard.”