To be honest Jerry, I have not actually checked whether they get it right - I
simply look at the scales (in metric), and ignore their conversions. They
never use a calculator - these are busy deli counters, so I assume they guess.
When I order in metric (e.g. 500 g of pork and egg pie), they will not convert
it at that point, but simply cut off their own estimate (which is usually quite
close, so they must know how much 500 g of pork and egg pie looks like), and
then say to me as they put it on the scales something like "That's just over a
pound - is that OK?". To which I reply on the lines of "You've weighed me 486
g, that's just fine".
The receipts are ONLY in metric - that is the law.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: j...@frewston.plus.com ; U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:49 PM
Subject: Re: [USMA:43410] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel &
fish sales in the UK.
Even though they try to convert to imperial for you, how close do them come
to getting it right? Do they use a calculator to do the conversion or do they
just give you a guess? What do they usually say when you order in metric?
Do you get a receipt of your purchase and is it metric only or dual?
Jerry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: John Frewen-Lord <j...@frewston.plus.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 10:52:47 AM
Subject: [USMA:43410] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
My local Tesco in Grimsby weighs ONLY in metric units for trade purposes (at
the deli and fish counters primarily). Yes, the customer-use weigh scales are
dual marked, with metric as the primary (outer) scale, and imperial as the
secondary (inner) scale. All our other local supermarkets (Morrisons,
Sainsbury's, ASDA, Somerfield) only retail weigh products in metric, this is
the law. Annoyingly, some counter staff insist on converting it to imperial
for me (even when I have asked for it in metric), but that is sporadic.
Also to confirm - all fuel, whether petrol (gasoline) and diesel at the
pumps, or the fuel oil we buy for our heating system, is sold in liters ONLY.
Even aircraft fuel is calibrated in liters (a friend of mine works at my local
airport). I have NEVER seen automotive fuel in other than metric. Same for
Canada - since conversion in 1978, all gasoline can be dispensed ONLY in liters.
The UK is primarily metric (e.g. the laptop computer I am typing this out on
is shown as weighing 3.5 kg, no imperial equivalent), and officially all
government is metric, even though there is some backsliding. Only the road
signage, and pints in the pub, are not metric. These are the sole areas that
those who resist metric conversion are holding out on.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Cooper
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 2:23 PM
Subject: [USMA:43401] Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
As you suggest, Jerry, one individual on one website seems to believe
that liquid fuel in the UK is dispensed in "air miles" rather than litres. I
think that his views can safely be ignored.
I can assure you that UK law still states that litres MUST be used
whenever liquid fuels are sold by retail in the UK.
My view of the law is backed up by my own experiences in filling my
car at pumps in dozens of filling stations throughout the UK, and in passing
hundreds of other filling stations with large roadside price displays marked
solely with prices per litre.
UK petrol pumps normally have 3 active displays at any one time. One
tells the price per litre, one tells the number of litres dispensed and one
tells the total price to pay. Some pumps omit the price per litre & a few omit
the price to pay.
In every case, however, there is a requirement that the pump shows
the number of litres dispensed.
I'm sure that other UK contributors to this site can confirm my
findings.
With regard to Tesco's supposed return to using imperial scales at
their fish counter in their Loudwater store, I would point out that this
information is provided by the same individual on the same website I mention
above. This tine, he makes a claim that Tesco are using dual scales for trade
purposes in this store.
Unfortunately, he refuses to provide any meaningful detail about the
scales, making it impossible to verify whether he is telling the truth or not.
I've never been in the Loudwater Tesco, so I cannot comment on that particular
store.
However, during the last 12 months or so, I have visited Tesco stores
in Dundee (4), Edinburgh (3), Glasgow (2), Helensburgh (2), Arbroath, Ayr,
Budapest(non-UK!), Campbeltown, Dumbarton, Dublin(non-UK!), Inverness,
Lochgilphead, London, Oban, Perth & Stirling.
None of these stores use dual-marked weighing equipment for any trade
purposes (a few have dual non-trade customer checkweighers in the F&V aisle).
Each and every one of those stores had weighing and/or measuring equipment in
use for trade. Without exception, the equipment indicated in metric units only.
Again, I would ask other UK contributors to post their experiences in
Tesco stores. I'm pretty sure that only one person will claim to have seen such
a scale, yet will prove to be surprisingly reluctant (or perhaps unable) to
provide any real proof that it exists.
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, Jeremiah MacGregor
<jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com> wrote:
From: Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Re: [USMA:43385] Re: USC units spread to the UK - and
no-one notices!
To: k_cooper1...@yahoo.com, "U.S. Metric Association"
<usma@colostate.edu>
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 1:48 AM
Ken,
I've heard a rumor recently that the UK no longer uses the liter
for dispensing gasoline but has instead switched to a new unit called "air
miles". Can you provide some further information on this?
I also understand that some super markets are now re-introducing
scales in pound units that are being used to weigh goods asked for by
customers. I believe that a Tesco located in the town of Loudwater has already
changed over. Can you provide some further information on this reversion?
Jerry
