Analogue vs Digital: Which is Right for Your Shop’s Fruit and Vegetable Scales?

When you're shopping for new grocery scales for use in your shop, there are a number of things you need to think about. One of the most important considerations is whether you pick up digital scales or analogue scales.

Analogue models use an inner spring, showing the weight of objects on a manual display with a rotating pin, while digital scales run on batteries and display the given weight on a digital readout. That covers the structural differences between them, but which option is right for your shop?

Read through these pros and cons of each option to help yourself decide.

The Pros and Cons of Analogue Shopping Scales

If you look in most kitchens and bathrooms, you'll find that the scales tend to be digital. However, grocery stores have continued to use analogue versions far more widely, and there's more than one reason why.

Perhaps the most obvious reason is that analogue scales offer a retro charm that shoppers often appreciate when they're picking out their fruit and veg. The fact that they hang down from a spring means that they take up vertical space instead of space where produce could go, though platform styles are available if you would prefer. Analogue scales are also easy to calibrate since you simply need to move the needle, and, since no batteries are required, they should never stop working suddenly.

On the other hand, analogue scales are not quite as precise as digital ones; they won't measure lighter amounts as easily, and an analogue read-out can simply be tougher to read than a digital one.

The Pros and Cons of Digital Shopping Scales

Digital scales are certainly more popular than they used to be. Unlike analogue scales, they can provide weight readings very quickly on a back-lit screen that is easy to read. Even the lightest weights will be accurately measured, so there should be no disagreements when it comes to deciding on a final figure. You can also switch them between different units at the press of a button, something that won't be possible with an analogue scale.

However, with newer technologies come other problems. Digital scales can run out of charge and stop working altogether, and it's far harder for the average person to fix a digital scale than an analogue one. This is especially important when you'll be dealing with any foods that might be wet or carry liquids. Digital scales also tend to be more expensive, so any damage is a more serious concern.


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