New 2025 Mandate for Anti-Cheating Electronic Price Scales with Shell Locking and Dynamic Passwords Sets Global Benchmark

BEIJING, China – January 15, 2025 – In a decisive move to eradicate long-standing issues of commercial fraud and restore absolute consumer confidence, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has enacted a sweeping new mandate for all newly manufactured electronic price scales. Effective January 1, 2025, the "Technical Regulations for Anti-Cheating Electronic Price Scale Devices" represent the world's most comprehensive and technologically advanced legal metrology framework. The regulations pivot on three core, non-negotiable pillars—shell locking, dynamic password authorization, and a unique identification system—creating an integrated defense designed to make "ghost scales," a notorious tool of market deception, virtually impossible to operate with impunity.

The Genesis of a Crackdown: The Pervasive "Ghost Scale" Problem

For years, Chinese consumers and honest merchants have been plagued by the scourge of manipulated scales. These "ghost scales" , often appearing perfectly normal, could be subtly manipulated by remote controls, hidden keypad sequences, or pre-installed malicious software to inflate weights by 10%, 20%, or even 30%. The economic damage ran into billions of yuan annually, eroding the foundational trust required for a healthy market economy. Previous enforcement, reliant on sporadic inspections and seals that could be easily replicated or broken, proved inadequate against the sophisticated, on-demand cheating methods.

"The old cat-and-mouse game is over," declared SAMR spokesperson, Ms. Zhang Wei, at the policy's launch press conference. "We are not merely updating a standard; we are architecting a new, secure ecosystem for commercial weighing. From the factory floor to the marketplace, every single anti-cheating electronic price scale will now be a fortified node in a network of trust, making deceit technologically untenable and economically unviable."

Pillar One: The Physical Fortress - The Imperative of Shell Locking

The first and most fundamental line of defense is the shell locking mechanism. Under the new regulations, every electronic price scale must be equipped with a state-certified, tamper-evident physical lock and seal system. Any attempt to open the scale's casing—a necessary step for fraudsters to install cheating hardware or manipulate load cells—will trigger an immediate and irreversible response.

Upon unauthorized opening, the scale does not merely log an event; it enters a permanent "lockout" mode. The device ceases all weighing functions and displays a clear, unambiguous error message, such as "TAMPER ALERT – SHELL BREACH." The scale cannot be returned to service through a simple power cycle or user command. This physical shell locking mechanism ensures that the internal components of the scale are effectively frozen in a trusted state from the point of manufacture until the end of its lifecycle. The only way to reset the scale is through an authorized metrology verification process, creating a massive deterrent against physical tampering.

Pillar Two: The Digital Gatekeeper - Dynamic Password Authorization

While shell locking secures the hardware, the new regulations address software manipulation with an equally robust solution: a dynamic password authorization system. This technology targets the most common fraud vector—the activation of hidden cheating modes via secret keypad sequences.

In the new system, if a scale needs to be calibrated, repaired, or have its settings adjusted for any legitimate reason, the merchant cannot simply input a code. They must first submit a formal, traceable application through a government-managed mobile app or web portal. The request, containing the scale's unique identifier and the reason for access, is logged in a central database. Only after this request is reviewed and approved is a time-sensitive, single-use dynamic password generated and sent to the merchant's registered mobile device.

This dynamic password is typically a complex, alphanumeric code that expires after a short window, often just 30 minutes. Entering this code is the only way to unlock the scale's calibration and service menus. This process eliminates the possibility of a merchant or service technician secretly enabling a cheat mode on a whim. Every single instance of software-level access is now recorded, authorized, and auditable, creating a formidable digital barrier against fraud.

Pillar Three: The Lifetime Fingerprint - Unique Identification and the "Three Codes, One Seal"

The final pillar binds the entire system together with absolute traceability. Each anti-cheating electronic price scale is now assigned a lifelong, unchangeable unique identification. This goes far beyond a simple model and serial number. It is a comprehensive digital identity embedded in the scale's firmware and physically manifested through a "Three Codes, One Seal" policy.

This means every scale will have:

1. A unique identification QR code on its main display panel.

2. A second identical code on its internal motherboard.

3. A third code on its official verification certificate.

4. A single, official SAMR tamper-proof seal that, once broken, triggers the shell locking mechanism.

Consumers are being actively encouraged to scan the external QR code with their smartphones. This scan instantly reveals the scale's verification status, its manufacturing date, its last inspection date, and its ownership history. This empowers the public to become active participants in market supervision, instantly verifying the legitimacy of the scale they are using.

Implementation, Impact, and Global Implications

The rollout is being managed in phases, with all new scales manufactured from January 1, 2025, required to comply. A grace period is in effect for existing scales, but market-wide compliance is expected by the end of the year. Pilot programs in cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou in late 2024 demonstrated a dramatic effect, with reports of weighing-related complaints plummeting by over 70% in pilot markets.

International metrology bodies are watching China's experiment with keen interest. "China's integrated approach, particularly the mandatory shell locking and dynamic password system, sets a new global benchmark for combating commercial weighing fraud," commented an expert from the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML). "This could very well become the template for future OIML recommendations."

Conclusion: A New Era of Trust in Trade

China's 2025 electronic price scale regulations are more than a technical update; they are a profound statement on the role of technology in governance and market integrity. By seamlessly integrating a physical lock (shell locking), a digital key (dynamic password), and an unforgeable identity (unique identification), the SAMR has constructed a multi-layered fortress against fraud. This bold initiative promises not only to protect Chinese consumers but also to inspire a global shift towards more secure, transparent, and trustworthy commercial weighing practices for years to come.