----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: June 6, 2002 14:24 Subject: [USMA:20355] RE: Fwd: Question on Dairy Products
> Of John Woelflein > >I wrote to USDA and asked why dairy products were > >not yet considering metrication. Here is reply from > >John Rourke of the USDA: > > >>In response to your question, I conducted a survey of > >>consumer products in my household. Of the 50 products > >>surveyed, only 3 were in metric sizes -- a > >>2-liter cola product, a 3-liter wine product and a > >>0.75 liter alcohol product. All other products, > >>including bottled water, were in standard U.S. > >>fluid and weight measures, along with the metric > >>equivalent in parentheses. There were 2 fruit juice > >>products both in 64 ozs. (2 quart) containers. One > >>problem I would see with converting to metric sizes > >>would be in the carbonated beverage vending machine > >>business; would they continue to use the same size > >>12-ounce cans and label it as the metric equiv. of > >>12 ozs.? > > Soft conversion is always an option. I don't know how the UK metricated > these cans, but that is a precedent. > > >>Until American con! ! ! sumers start demanding > >>product in metric sizes, I do not expect the > >>food processing industry to make the conversion. > > Is he suggesting that metric products (such as 2 liter cola) were > introduced in response to consumer demand? Yeah, the "Soda Rebellion of 1974" I remember it, don't you? ;-) Stephen
