The example I gave came from a bag of M & Ms.
I guess you can complain to the company first and forward them a copy of the
law. If they ignore you then I would ask the USMA who to contact concerning
the infringements of the law. Then you can also complain about your shaving
soap.
Jerry
________________________________
From: John M. Steele <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 9:41:09 AM
Subject: [USMA:43404] Re: Contacted an FMI member
As I read the FPLA and UPLR, the metric must be expressed in three figures,
four is not permitted. (There are exceptions for two digits under 100 mL or 100
g, and for unneeded zeroes to the right of decimal. Apart from those
exceptions, neither four nor two is equal to three or permitted.
The big problem is who do you complain to and will corrective action be taken
or required.
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com> wrote:
> From: Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
> Subject: [USMA:43400] Re: Contacted an FMI member
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
> Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 9:23 AM
> Many of the packages that have grams as the secondary unit
> put the grams in decimal form instead of rounding to the
> nearest whole number. I've seen 14 oz of product
> labeled precisely as 396.9 g instead of 397 g or even upped
> to 400 g. I believe the FPLA rule which requires the use
> of metric on labels should also require sensible use of
> metric units. The rules for significant digits should
> apply. If a package contains consistently over 400 g then
> it should be labeled as 400 g.
>
>
> I don't mind seeing English units on packages but I
> don't like them stated twice as it then becomes
> clutter. The labeling rules need to be changed to require
> one metric unit and one English unit only if a company
> decides to use both. If the rules are ever changed to
> allow metric only, then the number of English units becomes
> moot.
>
> The rules can also be changed to require sensible metric
> labeling. This is not the same as forced rounding to whole
> numbers, like forcing 454 g to become 500 g, but it would
> require that there is no 396.9 g unless that degree of
> precision can be proved.
>
> Writing to companies to change their labels won't work
> if they don't understand what you are asking them.
> However, you may be able to effect change if you can show
> them that their labels are incorrect per the law should the
> law ever be changed. Getting the law changed must be the
> first step.
>
> Jerry
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Pierre Abbat <p...@phma.optus.nu>
> To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
> Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 9:55:38 PM
> Subject: [USMA:43392] Re: Contacted an FMI member
>
>
> On Friday 06 March 2009 18:52:08 Jeremiah MacGregor wrote:
> > And I doubt you will. Whoever would have received
> the response would not
> > understand what you are on about. They would not
> have a clue what 454 g or
> > 500 g mean. Now if you told them that the package
> was marked as containing
> > one pound (=16 ounces) and you found it to weigh more
> then 17 ounces and it
> > should be labeled as such then you might have received
> a response.
>
> I did, but it was after I posted here. It's a
> boilerplate "We apologize for
> the experience you have had with the Trader Joe's Grape
> Tomatoes."
>
> > Do you know if Trader Joe exports any of his
> products? Is it possible that
> > the product is an import? In markets where 500 g
> is a standard size, it
> > may be marked that way and marked as 1 pound 454 g in
> the US.
>
> It's domestic. It's some tiny tomatoes packed in a
> clamshell package.
>
> > Can you post here what you wrote to them? Have you
> ever thought of calling
> > them on the phone and then asking someone in person
> for an answer? It is
> > difficult to ignore someone over the phone without
> hanging up. I doubt
> > they would do that for fear of ticking off a good
> customer.
>
> Here it is:
> I bought a box of grape tomatoes labeled 454 g and weighed
> them when I got
> home. The gross is 558 g; a previous empty container is 30
> g, so the net is
> 528 g. 28 g is 3 to 6 tomatoes. If the net is consistently
> above 500 grams,
> could you label the packages as such so that we know more
> accurately how much
> we're getting?
>
> I'm not that good at calling strangers on the phone and
> trying to explain
> something. I tend to get protocol mismatches. It's
> easier for me to write an
> email.
>
> Pierre
