The Chaos of Going Metric
Created | Updated Jun 20, 2003
It's the year 2000 and now, in the UK, it is illegal to sell things in the old 'imperial' measurements. Everything has to be in metric. The only survivor, at this time, is the mile (and the pint! - Pastey). Anything smaller than a mile has be in meters. Yards, feet and inches are a thing of the past - or are they ?. Gone are the good old pound and ounces or are they ?
The law no longer allows items to be sold in these weights and measures, but did you know that it is still legally possible to order in them? You can go into any shop and order a lb. of tomatoes (if they sell them, that is) but the retailers are not allowed to sell you a lb. of tomatoes, they have to convert it to 454g and weigh your beloved tomatoes on scales marked in metric. Scales marked in pounds and ounces are illegal no matter how accurate they are.
Many small traders cannot afford new scales and are flaunting the law by using them. They are even displaying their prices by the lb! A sign I saw outside a Butchers Shop made me laugh. It stated: Meat Sold in packs of 2 1/2kg (5 1/2lb) and then went on to give the price per lb.
He was an elderly Butcher and most likely thought he was obeying the law.
One fact is certain and it is that the Trading Standards Department have not got the man power the enforce the law.
Trading Standards took over the job from the Government
Department called 'Weights and Measures' last century, (sounds good that doesn't it) and even they are in utter confusion interpreting the law.
A number of farmers have tried in vain to get some information as to what weights they should be packing their produce for selling in the markets. The answer they get is 'I don't know'.
The result of this is that, when you go to the Markets, some produce is sold by the lb and some in metric. Utter confusion reigns.
One teacher in Kent stated that the two measures should have been left as they were, and a legal requirement introduced to enable the use of pricing in both measures... letting time do the rest. It made sense!
Well, you may be wondering how I have got over the problem. I have many elderly customers who are so confused by metric as to be really worried by it all.
I have therefore decided to sell my produce to customers in Units of 454g... Who said that's a pound? No, its 454g! My customers like it.
