2002-04-21

Toothpaste is actually packaged in metric tubes in the US, but you would
never know this.  That is because they are labelled by their weight (mass).
The 125 mL tube is labelled as 8.2 oz (232 g).  This equates to a density of
about 1.856 g/mL or 1.856 Mg/m^3.  I don't have any other sizes at home, so
I can't report on them.  However, I do believe there is a 100 mL size
labelled as 6.4 oz (182 mL)   This will have to be verified.  Maybe others
may have this or other sizes at home and we can verify this.

I see no reason why the tubes can not show the volume in addition to the
mass.  Or is someone afraid the public we see that their favourite
toothpaste is a true metric product?

John




----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, 2002-04-21 11:59
Subject: [USMA:19550] RE: FPLA & UPLR


On Sat, 20 Apr 2002 09:33:48 -0700, Ezra Steinberg
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>Can you remind us (or at least me! ;-) a bit of what the UK experience
>has been with these items?
>Thanks!
>Ezra

Ezra:

I'll answer this, and Terry can correct me or add to it:

>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> Thanks. How about:
>>
>> Gasoline

Litre pricing started some time in the 80s, I believe, but it only
became widespread as we got to the 90s and then standard shortly
after. Gallon prices can still be included, but it's almost never seen
now.

>> Butter

Been in 250 g/500 g packs since the late 70s.

>> Soda

I remember hearing radio ads in the early 70s for the 'new litre-size
Coke'.

>> Toothpaste

Again, I think this changed in the 70s (it's so long since I've seen
anything but metric I honestly can't be sure!)

>> Milk

UHT milk has been sold in 500 ml/1 l packs since the late 70s or maybe
early 80s, and I can remember seeing litre packs of fresh milk around
the same time, but they never took off. Most supermarket packs are
still in multiples of pints (unless you want organic, in which case it
comes in 1 pint and 1 litre packs - as does Channel Islands milk) or
if you want goat's milk, in which case it comes in 750 ml packs!

>> Beer

Most cans in supermarkets are no 500 ml, but with quite a few 440 ml.
Smaller cans tend to be 275 ml or 330 ml (e.g. Bud). I don't know if
pubs are different, but nearly all bottled beer in stores comes in 500
ml size. Larger poly bottles are 1/1.5/2 litre.

Chris

--
UK Metric Association: http://www.metric.org.uk/



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