Taragewicht

Taragewicht is a measurement concept used in weighing that refers to the weight of the container, packaging, or vehicle without its contents. It is the amount that must be subtracted from the gross weight to yield the net weight. The term combines Tara (tare) and Gewicht (weight) from German.

Determining taragewicht can be done by weighing an empty container on a calibrated scale, using a predefined tare value provided by packaging specifications, or using a scale that stores tare values automatically. In practice, taragewicht is often called tare weight and is denoted as 'tare' or 'T' in weighing systems.

Taragewicht is crucial in logistics, retail, and manufacturing because it influences net quantity, pricing, load planning, and regulatory labeling. On product labels, the net weight is calculated as gross weight minus taragewicht to comply with packaging laws that require listing of net contents. Some industries use dynamic tare or weigh-in-motion systems where tare weight is updated in real time as vehicles move.

Common examples include the tare weight of empty shipping containers, palletized loads, and packaging before adding goods; in vehicle weighing, the vehicle's empty mass is the tare, while gross weight includes the cargo. Understanding taragewicht ensures accurate measurement of product quantities and fair pricing.