2002-11-17 This is because large items like fruits and vegetables don't grow into rational metric (or FFU for that matter) sizes. And it would be impracticable to cut off part of one in order for it to be packaged in a rational size. I'm sure in the US that when bulky items are in rational FFU amounts, like a 10 lb sack of potatoes, it really doesn't mean there is exactly 10 lbs of potatoes. It just means there is at least 10 lbs. Spanish (or EU) rules might require that a more precise amount declaration be stated instead of just stating the closest lower rational value.
What gets me is the insistence of some bulky products to state SI contents tot he tenths of grams. I just threw out a completed bad of M&Ms with peanuts candy. This is packaged by MARS. (http://www.mms.com and http://www.mars.com) I can't remember the exact size of the bag, but I remember the it was declared in SI as something like: xxx.9 in grams. I could not believe they can resolve the mass of such a large piece of candy to the nearest 100 mg. This type of reporting is what makes SI look useless in the eyes of consumers. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harry Wyeth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, 2002-11-17 06:12 Subject: [USMA:23413] Recent postings > > Also, I was in Spain recently, and while shopping at a supermercado, I > noticed that there were very few items packaged in oddball sizes (not even > 100 or 50 g). Cans of fruit and the like appeared to me to be the same > sizes as are found in the US, but always in even sizes in terms of content > weight. > > HARRY WYETH >
