----- Original Message ----- From: "Terry Simpson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, 2003-10-27 19:38 Subject: [USMA:27329] RE: UK scale conversion
> Mighty Chimp > >What I wanted to know is how many traders are complying > >with the law. > > I don't know. I am sure that the UK shops are now more metric than Canadian > shops. >From what I have heard from both residents and visitors to Canada, the deli counter has finally come to its senses. They discovered the wonderful world of pricing per hundred grams. It has removed all of the dual clutter and the need for an employee of the shop to do double work. > a) I am working on the assumption is that all traders comply with the law on > scales. > b) I still see dual unit pricing (legal). I take it, this is from experience in your area. Do you also notice if any stores using imperial have switched to metric? Have you seen any reversions? Do you ever stand and listen to see how many people order in metric vs. imperial? > c) I occasionally see imperial only pricing (illegal). Do you inform the authorities of their illegality? You should. It isn't fair to those that comply with the law, if those that don't are free not change. > > > >I heard that tescos still sells using imperial scales. > > You are misinformed. I am sure that Tescos obeys the law. There are three > issues > 1. Scales. > 2. Price indications > 3. Adverts > > Adverts can be imperial only (even in shops). Tescos takes advantage of > this. In Tescos, you will see imperial only 'adverts' and dual unit 'price > indications'. All perfectly legal. Look in your own supermarket and try to > distinguish the 'adverts' from the 'price indications'. I was told that Tescos still has pound scales. > > > >When you talk of dual unit scales, are you referring to digital or > >analogue types? > > Both. There is no legal distinction. If a store has a dual unit digital scale, I don't think it is possible to show both units at the same time. I don't even think it is legal to switch the units once the scale is sealed by an inspector. If the shop did switch the scale to pounds, then they aren't really selling by the kilogram and should be considered in violation of the law. One way to prevent this is to make all new scales available for sale or lease to be metric only. > > > >If a trader is using a dual unit analogue scale, how is this trader > >obeying the law to sell by the kilogram, since they can ignore > >the kilogram markings and continue to sell by the pound? > > The law only controls the display of units. Thoughts and speech are not > controlled. Yes, but if a customer asks for pound and the merchant looks at the pound side of the scale and uses the per pound price to calculate the sale, then the merchant is not selling by the kilogram. > > > >Do all traders obey the laws and publish prices in metric? > > Most do. Dual pricing is still fairly common. I occasionally see > imperial-only pricing (illegal). My impression is that market stalls are > more likely to use imperial than shops. Do you see a general trend towards more metric acceptance, less, or somewhat of a status quo? Can you also give me some indiscation as to the units used on prepackaged foods? mostly metric? mostly dual? mostly imperial? percentage? trend? Thanks, Euric > >
