Alphabiz - One in Four Retail Products Found Underfilled Despite Meeting Legal Tolerances: Korea Agency

Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, April 12, 2026 — A government inspection found that about one in four products sold in retail channels contain less than the labeled quantity, even though most comply with current legal tolerance standards, according to Korean Agency for Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The agency said on April 12 that it examined 1,002 quantity-labeled products — sampling three units per item — sold across large retailers, local markets, and online platforms.

Only 2.8% of the products were found to fall outside the legally permitted margin of error, indicating that overall compliance with existing regulations remains high.

However, when comparing average content levels, approximately 25% of the surveyed products were packaged with quantities below their labeled amounts.

By category, beverages and alcoholic drinks recorded the highest share at 44.8%, followed by beans (36.8%), milk (32.4%), and soy sauce and vinegar products (31.0%).

Authorities suspect that some manufacturers may be exploiting the current system by reducing content volumes within the allowable tolerance range.

To address the issue, the government is considering amendments to the Measurement Act, including the introduction of an “average quantity” standard.

In addition, the agency plans to significantly expand its annual inspection volume — from around 1,000 products to more than 10,000 — in response to criticism that the current scale lacks effectiveness.

Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)