Today, the government has responded to the imperial units consultation 16 months after it closed. Despite a consultation document banging the drum for the imperial system and a biased survey with leading questions designed to get the answers pro-imperial ministers wanted, respondents were almost unanimous in rejecting a greater use of imperial units. In response to the overwhelming rejection of government plans to bring back imperial units, the government has decided against any legislative changes.
Continue reading “Government confirms metric measurement rules to stay as 99% reject greater use of imperial units”Tag: choice
No government response one year after imperial units consultation closed
Today is one year since the “Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales” consultation closed. It is about Government proposals to remove the requirement to show metric units alongside imperial units in trade or allow metric units to be shown with less prominence than imperial units. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published this consultation on 3 June 2022. It ran from 9am on 3 June 2022 to 11pm on 26 August 2022. The Government’s own Consultation Principles state that Government responses to consultations should be published within 12 weeks of the consultation or provide an explanation why this is not possible. The response to the consultation was due on 18 November 2022, 12 weeks after the consultation closed. Today is 26 August 2023 and we are still waiting for it. Why is it taking the Government so long to respond to the consultation?
Continue reading “No government response one year after imperial units consultation closed”The conflict between measurement choice and accuracy
When the Government launched its “Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales” consultation, it stated that it is committed to reviewing the current law to identify how more choice can be given to businesses and consumers over the units of measurement they use for trade, while ensuring that measurement information remains accurate. These two objectives are in direct conflict. If you want to know how they conflict, read on.
Continue reading “The conflict between measurement choice and accuracy”How imperial units survey design flaws could have been fixed
The Government ran the “Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales” consultation from 3 June 2022 to 26 August 2022. The survey that accompanied the consultation received over 100 000 responses. According to Government guidelines (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consultation-principles-guidance), a response should have been published by 18 November, 12 weeks after the closing date. This article explains what was wrong with the survey questions and how the survey could have been improved.
Continue reading “How imperial units survey design flaws could have been fixed”How to respond to imperial-only measurement proposals
The Government has published its “Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales” consultation document about their plans to remove the requirement for traders to show the metric equivalent alongside imperial units.
Continue reading “How to respond to imperial-only measurement proposals”Why can’t weights and measures be left to the free market?
There have been recent reports in the press a butcher in Devon has started to sell meat in pounds and ounces after the UK had voted to leave the EU in a national referendum on 23 June 2016. This butcher is now giving customers the choice to buy meat in pounds and ounces or in grams and kilograms.
Continue reading “Why can’t weights and measures be left to the free market?”
The pint problem: A new way forward
The obligatory use of pints and prescribed fractions thereof for draught beer and cider alongside the absence of restrictions when sold in cans and bottles creates anomalies and confusion. What can be done to remove these anomalies without creating new ones?
Metric Views 