Jim McCracken has published an article in the NIST-OWM Quarterly titled "Updating U.S. Packaging and Labeling Laws." (May 2002)
Jim cites the EU metric-only directive, and trade agreements among the countries of the Americas as two factors accelerating the US transition to the metric system by driving the economic interests of US businesses. Jim states that a pending proposal to update the FPLA has the objective of removing regulatory barriers to the increased use of the metric system. Although Jim does not disclose the wording of the pending proposal, my hope is that it includes authorization for metric-only labeling, as an *option*, on consumer commodities offered for sale in the US. Unfortunately, mandated SI-only labeling on consumer commodities is probably still more than can be presently expected in an updated FPLA for the US; at least until businesses demand greater harmony with metric directives by the EU and by non-US countries of the Americas. Gene.
