I've noted round-number metric on a bunch of stuff in supermarkets, but my
impression is that most stuff is still-round number conventional units.
You're right that varies by product type. I've noticed that on olive oil
too; could be that, like wine, imports are a big chunk of that market and
they tipped the balance for US producers. What irritates me are
designations like this one I saw on some Ghirardelli chocolate yesterday:
Net Wt 3.17 oz (90g)
Just own up to the metric units already; people will get it.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "John M. Steele" <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: 03/07/2009 5:44 AM
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
Subject: [USMA:43398] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another
list
I was mostly answering the question: did government ever force any
industry to go metric. My answer is yes they did, although they have ALSO
refused to work in metric with industries that did so on their own. There
is no clear policy or plan for overall metric conversion and what isolated
policies exist are riddled with loopholes.
I agree that much metric is "hidden metric" from a consumer viewpoint. In
automotive, information is dual labelled, but many consumers probably
assume the metric is for Canada. Unless they work on their own cars and
need metric tools, many are probably unaware their car is metric. (and
complexity of modern cars makes it hard to work on your own any more)
For consumables, I think the situation is slightly more complex than you
paint. Many people may not refer to either the Customary or metric net
contents. However, those who do gravitate to the "rounder" number. This
is certainly my experience with 2 L soda, or any size water bottle.
There aren't too many other examples in the grocery store, but vegetable
oils and vinegar are very interesting. Olive oil, whether domestic or
imported is almost always in a round metric size, 250, 500 mL, 1 or 2 L.
The fact that the domestic brands copy this somehow suggests that
consumers "expect" metric for olive oil. Yet all other vegetable oils are
in Customary sizes.
For vinegar, ordinary clear or cider vinegar is always in Customary sizes,
while "fine vinegars" (balsamic, wine, or flavored vinegars) are usually
in round metric sizes, regardless of origin. For domestic brands to copy
this convention, there must be some expectation that "the good stuff comes
in metric."
These are very isolated examples and the rest of the supermarket is mostly
Customary with forced metric as dual information, but ignored. On the
other hand, the camel's nose is in the tent. Consumers will accept and
use metric sizes, the opposition is from FMI and its imagination of
consumer preference. They probably even know their statement is wrong and
therefore fight giving metric a chance.
--- On Fri, 3/6/09, Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
wrote:
From: Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
Subject: [USMA:43395] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on
another list
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 10:58 PM
Sorry, I didn't think about the wine and spirits. Yet
even though they come in metric sizes I have never heard an
average Joe refer to them by their metric size. It
wouldn't surprise me if the vast majority of Americans
who consume alcohol are totally unaware that the sizes are
metric. The standard 750 mL bottle is always referred to
as a fifth. So as far as the consumer is concerned, the
metric is hidden. Has anyone ever heard or seen the metric
size used by someone they encountered?
As far as consumables are concerned I believe I am correct
when I say that even though there is metric on the
packaging, it is usually in the 2-nd position and oblivious
to the consumer. It would be an interesting test to go
into a super market and conduct a survey of different
shoppers. Hand them a package of any dual marked product
and ask them to read the contents stated on the label.
Chances are very high that they will read off only the
English measures and ignore the metric as if it was not
there. Even with the long existence of the 2 liter soda
bottle it is highly likely the average consumer has no idea
that the liter is a unit of volume and in their mind it is a
description of the bottle shape.
The use of metric units by the federal government does not
affect consumers. Most people are unaware that the
government operates in metric and might even consider
it un-patriotic if they found it to be true.
A Pilot's job is not consumer related. But
consumers do fly in the planes and never on a domestic
flight have I ever heard the use of metric units by the
flight crew when addressing the passengers. I have on an
occasion heard the pilot stutter when giving temperatures
figuring that he was quickly trying to convert the metric
to English. I don't think anyone else figured that
out.
When the government adopts metric it is with the belief
that the general public is not ever to know.
Even with the American automobile industry fully metric,
how many Americans do you think actually know this and
accept this?
Jerry
________________________________
From: John M. Steele <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>;
jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com
Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 10:15:56 PM
Subject: Re: [USMA:43389] RE: Mistaken blather from a
correspondent on another list
Well,
*The government forces the wine and spirit industries to
use metric sized bottles
*The government forces all foods and
"consumables" to be dual labelled in Customary and
metric
*The government supposedly procures its supplies in metric
and requires construction of Federal buildings to be metric
(I believe there are significant loopholes that somewhat
dilute this.)
*The government forces the airlines to accept a mixed mess
of units in the aviation weather product known as METAR.
The temperature and dewpoint are degrees C, but everything
else is Customary.
On the other hand, they don't do much to finish the
job, or ensure children get an adequate metric education,
and other government agencies (EIA) refuse to supply
information (energy usage) in metric units to industries
that have already voluntarily converted (automotive)..
--- On Fri, 3/6/09, Jeremiah MacGregor
<jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail..com> wrote:
> From: Jeremiah MacGregor
<jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
> Subject: [USMA:43389] RE: Mistaken blather from a
correspondent on another list
> To: "U.S. Metric Association"
<usma@colostate.edu>
> Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 9:03 PM
> But so far the government hasn't really become
involved
> to a point that affects consumers. Whatever metric
we
> encounter comes from the free choice of people. For
> example, did the government force any industry to go
> metric? Yet, there are those who have freely chosen
to do
> so.
