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

Partly stuck because we are trying to big up our relationship with America, but as we have seen, not all the units correspond.

The Brexiters are also big on Empire - but guess what, as far as I am aware, all the Commonwealth countries now use metric measurements.

When was the last time you were arrested for quoting someone's weight in stones?

Why do certain types of people insist they're prevented from doing something (or forced to do something else) when it's just not true?

No one's stopping you using stones FFS.

So those who 'can't get worked up about this' are happy for food prices to go up even more once packaging and serving sizes are all changed and businesses pass on the cost of that?

Or perhaps you're looking forward to the market being flooded with cheap abd nasty American products that put our farmers out of business?

I was just thinking, so many of our goods now come from China. Are they going to oblige the UK? I am pretty sure the answer is NO.

They will be happy to oblige and measure, pack and label items in imperial, but it will cause higher prices. Do we really want to pay for the privilege of having imperial on there when metric is the world standard and thus the cheapest option due to economies of scale? For example my DH buys supplies for his business from China…the materials are labelled in metres and litres. They’d have to be redone in feet and gallons.

What's better value?

£1.50 per lb or 28p per 100g
How about 50p an ounce vs £1.50 per 100g
Metric can be as precise as you want. How do you do less than an ounce?

People need to be able to know what better value is and need to be able to calculate the cost of items easily. Metric is a much better system for people to calculate in.

Another distraction from the real world. They are shameless

I'm 40 and struggle with the metric system. If someone tells me their weight and height in metric I have to use Google to convert to imperial 😳

I do, however, use centigrade rather than Fahrenheit for temperature.

I think I'm of that oddly on the cusp generation

I agree.
I bet nobody refused to accept decimal money and insisted on only old money.

FFS total waste of time and money. I'm actually put off using a greengrocer if they put the price per pound more prominently than kg. We have been metric for donkeys years. Most people who still use imperial measures for some things eg weight and height of humans, miles of road have no idea of the maths how these measures work. Eg my 15 year old will talk about someone being six foot two with absolutely no concept of how what the two is or how many of them fit into a foot.

From the document

We recognise that metric units remain essential for both science and international trade and the review will be focussed on the use of units of measurement in domestic trade.

While consistency in measurement supports fair trade and empowers consumers, there has been consistent opposition to the current law on units of measurement by some traders and consumers who consider it to be overly prescriptive and an unnecessary restriction on freedom of choice. This consultation will explore the appetite of businesses and consumers to buy and sell in imperial units.

In recognition that there will be people in the UK who have no experience of imperial measurements, the consultation also explores whether there should be a requirement for the equivalent metric measurement to appear alongside the imperial measurement where imperial units are used.

The key questions

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?

b) Are you more likely to shop from businesses that sell in imperial units?

c) Do you foresee any costs or benefits to you from businesses being permitted

to sell:

(i) solely in imperial units?

(ii) in imperial units alongside a less prominent metric equivalent?

d) Do you have experience of buying solely in imperial units?

A post that allows people to hammer on about Boris on here is never going to end well is it?

As for measures, considering we're supposedly metric, I'm stumped as to what I am in cm and kg and last time I checked we drive in mph not kmh.

Bottles are in cl/ml but I don't recall ever ordering whatever the metric equivalent of a pint is.

As for "struggling" businesses, my main fear is that we won't half see a load of rebranding to allow shrinkflation.

You've got to actually download it, complete it and then email it in.

Just to make things more complicated

I agree and think we should move wholly to the metric system including miles on motorway signs. Even pints of beer could change, they'd just become a large of small in the same way we order wine and spirits. We should use the same system as the rest of the world instead of wanting our own special (worse) system just to be different from Europe, it makes us look like fools.

Unfortunately I think it's to late to change the side of the road we drive on so we're stuck with that. I believe there was thought of doing this about 60 years ago but it never went ahead. Shame they didn't do it while there were fewer car on the road.

Bottles are in cl/ml but I don't recall ever ordering whatever the metric equivalent of a pint is

Good question - I wonder how many people know what is better value when they buy a pint of the stuff or a bottle of the equivalent beer?

I'm in my 60s and it is a firm metric vote here. I started nursing in the late 70s and it was metric even then; temperature, fluid and medication measurements were all metric. I believe there are far less calculation errors with a metric system.
On a cynical note, many packaged foods for example pasta and sugar are in 500gms and kilo weights. I fear if we go back to imperial being the primary measurement we'll end up paying the same amount for less (1lb is less than 500gms for those who don't know imperial). I remember the transition to decimal, now over 50 years ago, prices were rounded up if there was not an exact decimal equivalent. Then there was a good reason for the transition to a more logical system. Why would anyone want to go back?

Good point.
Anyone who actually wants a move back to the good old days of imperial measurements is going to be stumped my this.
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 agree and think we should move wholly to the metric system including miles on motorway signs. Even pints of beer could change, they'd just become a large of small in the same way we order wine and spirits. We should use the same system as the rest of the world instead of wanting our own special (worse) system just to be different from Europe, it makes us look like fools.

Unfortunately I think it's to late to change the side of the road we drive on so we're stuck with that. I believe there was thought of doing this about 60 years ago but it never went ahead. Shame they didn't do it while there were fewer car on the road.

Yes, definitely. All you'd do is order a large/small or just a 'beer' or half. No need to say pint or litre. It'd be a simple change but could imagine the resistance due to a loss of 'culture'. Mostly from Neanderthal beer swilling blokes but hey ho.

I'd also welcome driving on the left too. It would bring down the cost of cars for us but would cause chaos 😂. I agree that the lockdown would've been the perfect time but is just too late now and a potential logistical nightmare!

The consultation actually says:

We recognise that metric units remain essential for both science and international trade and the review will be focussed on the use of units of measurement in domestic trade.

So basically admitting it's a silly idea. The questions are leading too.

Read in The Times today that BoJo's approval rating is -35 per cent amongst the general population and -70 among women age 35-54. We're a discerning lot.

I can't see companies repackaging goods to say 8 ounces instead of 200g. You would have to make a lot of changes in the whole system to do that.

So is it just for grocers in markets?

The fact no one is suggesting bringing back the slightly less hatstand pounds shillings and pennies is all anyone needs to know about the is bollocks.

Metric has been taught exclusively since 1971. So anyone younger than 56 will never have used imperial in school in the UK. That will be for no other reason than because the fucking exams were switched to metric.

Meanwhile the UK does no trade with any country in the world in anything other than metric units. You might get a slight rise with "barrel" until (much like "pint")you have to ask which barrel.

Yes, definitely. All you'd do is order a large/small or just a 'beer' or half. No need to say pint or litre. It'd be a simple change but could imagine the resistance due to a loss of 'culture'. Mostly from Neanderthal beer swilling blokes but hey ho

You get that in Australia - schooners, pints, ponys, middys and jugs

My mind has been blown. Blown I tell you.

It's a sign of how desperate this government is to distracg from their corruption and incompetence. However, the two byelections on the 23rd should focus thing again.

I was raised metric (am an EU immigrant) and I rub along fine with the current mad mixed system. There's no need to change it, except to appease the Brexit flagshaggers.

It wasn’t that long ago that grocers were heavily fined for selling bananas in imperial weights and all scales had to be changed accordingly! And now he’s wanting to go backwards. It’s absolutely ridiculous. What is the point?!