A printing device includes a thermal printhead with a plurality of print elements. A controller is configured to identify an out of specification status of at least one print element, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether printing of a specific print field requires use of the print element having the out of specification status and, if so, to determine whether a print location of the specific print field can be shifted such that the print element having out of specification status will be one of (i) aligned with a gap in the specific print field or (ii) offset to one side of the specific print field. A weighing scale incorporating the printing device is also provided.