Ghirardelli is as American as apple pie, founded in San Francisco in 1852. We also have American P&G making a lot of round metric products, with European Unilever and Nestle more likely to round to conventional units.
From: Jeremiah MacGregor Sent: 03/07/2009 8:51 AM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:43418] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another list It sure looks strange that the rounded grams are in the parentheses and the non-rounded ounces are outside. It must be a foreign product that is produced in rounded metric but for some reason the company was lead to believe that to sell it in the US the English must come first. Jerry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Victor Jockin <vjoc...@hotmail.com> To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu> Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 9:34:00 AM Subject: [USMA:43402] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another list 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. > >
