Labeling patterns show be changed to show metric first.
Stan Doore..
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 10:13 AM
Subject: [USMA:43399] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another
list
The camel's nose may be in the tent, but is anybody noticing?
Olive oil is also marked in rounded English. The labeling I've seen usually
follows the pattern:
17 fl oz (1.06 pint) 500 mL
I also saw one that was mis-marked:
17 fl oz (1 pint 0.9 fl oz) 500 mL.
The 17 fl oz was previously marked as 16.9 fl oz and was changed to 17 fl oz
with no change of contents but someone forgot to change the 0.9 fl oz to 1
floz.
Jerry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: John M. Steele <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 8:44:57 AM
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.
