Is this an April fool wind up?

Jeremy, Reading, Berkshire

Whether the bottles are 70 cl or 75 cl, who cares? Most people would probably not notice. Although, a change in size from 75 to 70 cl might be noticed by some, who would consider it greed on the part of the manufacturer to give the consumer less, even though it is just bureaucracy gone mad! The EU are trying to control every little aspect of our lives, in order to gain full and complete control over the masses. By forcing a change in bottle size, they are just trying to show who is boss, and the UK authorities are stupid or willingly collaborating with the EU.
It is things like this that show just how ridiculous it is to have the EU at all. A better idea is to have a trading agreement between nations, with each country maintaining its own sovereignty. Unfortunately, the powers that be want us to be under one world government. It is coming, and things like this are a warning of worse things to come.

A Freeman, London, UK

Someone should advise Mr Schooler that he is bound by UK law not EU directives. Whatever the latter may say it is how it is translated that counts. I wouldn't put it past the UK government to have banned 750 ml even though the directive doesn't require it - like they ban the litre for beer in pubs even though the Directive merely allows the pint rather than compel it. Look closer to home for the real non-sense!

Philip S Hall, Northampton, UK

replying to the earlier comment about putting 70cl in the 75cl bottles i could see this causing problems with the quality of the products which are of an exceedingly high standard and extreemly delicious, as the extra airspace will allow for are in the bottles which would change the taste due to oxidation and possibly allow for bacterial growth.
I can't see why the EU and trading standards should be concerned about the size of the bottles as long as they are clearly marked with the quantity!

ann, devon,

This seems to be typical of some elements within British bureaucracy, they take EU legislation put their own spin on it and enforce it without resort to common sense or reason and blame the EU when complaints are made.

Personally I think that both the EU and Trading Standards would have far more important things to do than regulate the sizes of bottle the wines could be sold in, it's not as though they're not clearly marked as per regulations.

N McBride, Thame, England

"Clauses 7 & 8 of the Directive seems to allow for small & medium sized companies to be allowed some leeway. West Sussex Trading Standards just seem to be acting like Jobsworths in this repect." - JohnC, Warwick, UK

Well said!!! It's the jobworths that create the problems! If people in this country had an ounce of common sense, this would not be happening.

Chantel, Wales,

This report sounds like nonsense to me. 75 cl is the standard size for wine bottles from the EU (and everywhere else, these days). Even those areas within the EU, like Alsace, which used to use 70 cl bottles, now use 75 cl. If Mr Schooler has to change his bottles, so will every other grower in Europe.

Jo, Basel, Switzerland

Thats my faith in the EU restored. I can see the pint disappearing from pubs soon. I think we're intelligent enough to work out price comparisons, even if it is in metric!

Z Walker, High Wycombe, England

Government has no place in this arena. If I want to sell drink in an odd sized bottle, surely the consumer has enough information if I make it clear what the cost in litres would be.

This is like the communist countries which wanted to control everything. Unelected and unanswerable so long as national governments do not make a public fuss about this kind of rubbish

Our government should tell the commission publicly to 'shut it' whenever any nonsense like this is suggested.

Peter Ryder, Middlewich, UK

Clauses 7 & 8 of the Directive seems to allow for small & medium sized companies to be allowed some leeway. West Sussex Trading Standards just seem to be acting like Jobsworths in this repect.

JohnC, Warwick, UK

Stop flying the Union Flag and St' Georges Cross. They are both symbols of a patriotism no longer recognized by a government that has betrayed the people of this nation to unelected buracrats in Brussels.
As for the bottle measurements; petty, petty, petty, is all I can say. If Brussels put as much energy into eradicating people trafficking, illegal immigration and the movement of drugs and illegal firearms throughout Europe we'd live in a utopia.

Alex, York, U.K

What's his problem ? Just put 70 cl in the 75 size bottle and 35cl in the smaller one. OK he'll need new labels with the changed quantity declaration but bottles, machines, boxes and corks ?? Duuh !

gav, glasgow, uk

When we contribute billions a year to get back this sort of nonsense, you have to wonder why we throw our money away.

Simon Bee, Wokingham, UK

Have EU bureaucrats really got nothing better to do??

J Cooke, Helsinki, Finland

Isn't it a bit absurd to for any standards organization to specify exact bottle size? Yes, certainly a uniform measurement standard, but not uniform bottle sizes.

One can easily see confusion between US Pints, UK pints, and metric sizes, but in the USA, we simply relabeled bottles with metric equivalents, and that was good enough. Eventually, USA bottlers gravitated towards actual metric bottles, but I see no need for that to be mandatory.

Even in Pubs, I've heard the UK Pint might be dying, but really you are buying 'this' much drink for 'this' much money, and you are either willing to pay or not, but to think the government can regulate the actual size of the glass is, once again, absurd.

Steve, MN, USA

After reading this article, I know I'm right to say ,Get the U S of A out of the UN and the UN out of the U S of A.....The 'EU' is going to be the 'death' of the UK.....As is the UN to the U S of A..

Mr Tim, San Marcos, U S ofA //Ca