Paul, Thanks for writing another excellent letter to advance metrication in the USA.
Gene Mechtly University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ---- Original message ---- >Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:36:13 -0600 >From: "Paul Trusten, R.Ph." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [USMA:38025] How much water is in this bottle? >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> >Cc: "Elizabeth Gentry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Dear American Beverage Association, > >A label from my favorite bottled water, Aquafina, prompts me to write to you >about improving U.S. beverage product labeling for the consumer. According >to the current Aquafina label (example attached), this bottle contains "16.9 >fl. oz 1.05 PT (500 mL)." > >You might expect a number of consumers to ask, "How much water is in this >bottle?" > >Is this numerical muddle what you and I really want on our product labels? >Is it fair to anyone who reads the label to have to interpret this list of >measurement units? > >Over the past 30 years, the soft drink industry has been a leader in >popularizing the metric system with the American people. Indeed, one major >carbonated- beverage producer takes particular pride in the fact that it >introduced the 2-liter package size to the U.S. market. Isn't it time for >the industry as a whole to take full advantage of metric-system simplicity >for its customers? There is a way! > >As you know, the metric system is the preferred system of measurement for >trade and commerce in the United States (Metric Conversion Act of 1975, >amended 1988). However, the federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) >continues to require both metric and U.S. customary units to appear on >product labels. I am writing to ask you to support the concept of amending >the FPLA to allow you the OPTION of labeling your products in metric units >only. > >The people of the U.S. are ready for this choice. The simple statement "500 >mL" is listed alone on supermarket shelf tags and featured on electronic >store marquees. At your option (meaning, at no cost to you), and based on >the legal national preference for metric, it should be able to stand alone >on your U.S. product labels. > >The U.S. Metric Association (USMA), Inc., is a non-profit, national >organization, founded in 1916, and dedicated to U.S. adoption of the metric >system as the Nation's primary system of measurement. We believe that it is >time for the U.S. to implement fully the international measurement standard. >Establishing a metric-only labeling option would be a sensible beginning for >the changeover, and would certainly be easier on the eyes of the American >beverage consumer. > >Thank you very much for your kind attention. > >Sincerely, > >Paul Trusten, R.Ph. >Public Relations Director >U.S. Metric Association, Inc. >www.metric.org >3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 >Midland TX 79707-2872 USA >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > >________________ >aquafinalabel.jpg (685k bytes)
