(a) It shall be unlawful to keep for the purpose of sale, offer or expose for sale or sell any commodity in package form unless the net quantity of the contents is plainly and conspicuously marked on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure or numerical count; provided, however, that reasonable variations or tolerances shall be permitted, and that these reasonable variations and tolerances shall be established by rules and regulations made and promulgated by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries; and provided further, that this section shall not be construed to apply to those commodities in package form, the manner of sale of which is specifically regulated by the provisions of other sections of this chapter.

(b) The words "in package form," as used in this section, shall be construed to include a commodity in a package, carton, case, can, box, barrel, bottle, phial or other receptacle or in coverings or wrappings of any kind put up by the manufacturer, or put up prior to the order of the commodity by the vendor, which may be labeled, branded, stenciled or otherwise marked or which may be suitable for labeling, branding, stenciling or marking otherwise, making one complete package of the commodity. The words "in package form" shall be construed to include both the wholesale and the retail package. "Package," as used in this section, does not include any container in which are packed or contained packages of a smaller size of a commodity, but the provisions of this section apply only to the container directly including the commodity.