The government actually IS doing a consultation on bringing back imperial measurements!

[Kendodd]

I thought it was a joke.
AIBU to think this is a complete load of bollocks waste of money?

The questions don't even give you the option of saying just keep metric.
Example question -
For Consumers,

a) If you had a choice, would you want to purchase items:

(i) in imperial units?

(ii) in imperial units alongside a metric equivalent?

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1079711/choice-on-units-of-measurement-markings-and-sales-consultation.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjchIqM1pT4AhXIPsAKHWSZBW0QFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw05usEgoqbR2NHfgE3SzAYH

Surely that’s a reason to advocate for a reasonable middle way rather than just pulling in the other direction and insisting everyone use metric whether they like it or not?

Surely that’s a reason to advocate for a reasonable middle way rather than just pulling in the other direction and insisting everyone use metric whether they like it or not?

I'm afraid "the middle way" no longer exists (if, indeed it ever did) with anything that is part of project Brexit.

We already have a middle way. No change is needed, and I resent my taxes being used on a consultation that is more about keeping the party faithful on side than about benefiting the country.

I can't fill in the questionnaire myself because it doesn't even give a keep metric option. I've sent an email to point this out instead to [email protected]

I can't get excited about the proposed change either way. Like most people, I use a combination of metric and imperial and expect to carry on as I am.

However, it is clear that many people on this thread are completely misunderstanding the proposals.

The consultation asks consumers if they would want to purchase items
i) in imperial units?
(ii) in imperial units alongside a metric equivalent?

There is no need for a 'keep metric' option. Anyone not wanting to purchase things in imperial should simply say 'no' to both questions.

And businesses are not going to be forced to sell things in imperial measurements. They are being asked asked about the consequences for their business of having the freedom to sell in imperial units if they wished.

@Fifthtimelucky your faith in the integrity of this government is admirable. And misplaced.

There's no need to wilfully miss the point. I think it was pretty clear what I meant - people have been used to metric measurements and currencies since the early 70s and before, so even the older generation see no reason to return to imperial measurements.

I'm sick of all this utter shit when working people can't feed their kids. What an utter load of bollocks. Why is BJ still PM? Why is Prince Andrew still a Prince? What a shambles!

Time for a bit of civil disobedience if they try to force imperial only, I think. U.K. could do with relearning that skill.

I like the sound of that (I’m for dual labelling - see above- but against imperial-only).

How would the civil disobedience work?

Would you take a permanent marker pen and write, for example, “454g” on all 1lb packs of sausages?

It seems we have a three way divide here and I’m in the smallest minority of all!

I don't have much faith in the integrity of this government, but I don't distrust them on everything and in this case I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.

All the rhetoric in the consultation is about increasing choice and freedom. Requiring businesses to sell in imperial measures only would be the complete opposite of what is proposed. It would also be very burdensome, expensive and unpopular.

The Government aren't complete fools. They will know that.

It's been happening for many many years now. Is there a demand for 'loose fruit and vegetables' to be sold in Imperial?

Don't get me wrong - if they want to have Imperial as well, then fine. But I do think it's important that:

a) you can see a price per 100g / kg / litre
b) Scales display metric.

I can't see scales with the option of metric and Imperial on them.

I do think it would be quite interesting if someone asks an assistant for 1lb 1/4 oz of steak and the assistant who has never done Imperial has to adjust the scales accordingly.

@Svalberg you'll never persuade me that imperial is a good idea, but ALL half decent calculators have a fraction mode (FRA).

Fraction mode is great. People just need to remember how many stones in a pound, ounces in a pound and grains in an ounce.

Otherwise converting 4 stone 5 pound 3 ounces and 3 grains into a fraction could be difficult

Calculators may do, most calculators that people use are the ones that come pre-loaded on phones & don't have that option. I'm an engineer & haven't bought a calculator since the 1970s! I use a computer for calculations and have done since 1984

I'd also say that I haven't used imperial since 1972, and I have my satnav reading out in km, although the odometer obviously reads in miles, I rarely use it these days, just as an arbitrary figure to give me some idea of how long before I need to put petrol in the car (though with the E5 rubbish, that's a smaller figure than it used to be)

That wouldn't really work for students, who are not allowed to have phones or computers in exams, would it?

@Svalberg the built in calculator app on my Android phone outputs a fraction by default.

Do students really use calculators much beyond exam time? I never did once I got a computer and I use calculations all the time. Does everyone carry around a calculator with them when they go to the shops? I do most calculations there in my head because it's metric and easy (and I'm good at mental arithmetic)

Mine doesn't, Android, and even if it did, I wouldn't have a need for it because I work in metric and decimals all the time as I'm an engineer

If I need to convert something between metric and imperial, I just Google it. "How many X is X" and it will tell you. Do this all the time for cooking when the recipe is imperial but my scales are metric.

My scales show both so I can follow whatever recipe without having to convert.

Shops should do the same IMHO 😁

What a waste of taxpayers’ money. Absolutely furious.

The switch to metric was done without any consultation at all.

Would you have preferred the government to switch to imperial-only without any consultation?

At least this way if the majority of people really do want to stick with metric or have both, they might not go down the hare-brained path of switching back to imperial-only.

What switch to metric?
When do you think we switched to metric?

If you are talking about the EU directive, that wasn't a switch. Because both could be used. And can be used.

Then what did the EU directive change?

Metric was legal in the UK from 1896.

Most people and businesses continued to use imperial.

In 1995 metric was made compulsory for prepackaged goods.

In 2000 metric was made compulsory for loose good.

That is when the “switch” happened in practice. I remember it well.

There was going to be a brief period when imperial could be used as a “supplementary indicator” before being outlawed altogether in 2009.

Because it was going to be outlawed, most businesses switched to metric only.

In 2007 the EU said we could keep supplementary indicators.