No move away from the metric system with meters and kilograms for the time being
In the UK, the major move away from the metric system of meters and kilograms announced after Brexit has been postponed for the time being. This was announced by the Department of Trade and Industry in London on Wednesday. Previously, 98.7 percent of the more than 100,000 respondents to a government survey had expressed satisfaction with the use of the metric system when buying or selling.
In Great Britain, it is currently only permitted to use traditional measures such as pounds and pints in retail if the metric measures such as grams and liters are mentioned. The British government had considered changing this law.
The British Prime Minister at the time, Boris Johnson, had announced that he would usher in a "new era of generosity and tolerance" towards traditional British units of measurement following the UK's exit from the EU.
The British Department of Trade has now declared that the government has "currently decided against any change to the law" after evaluating all the results of the consultation and all the arguments. However, the UK has a "long and proud" history of using "imperial measures", as traditional measurements are known in the UK.
Nevertheless, the ministry announced good news for advocates of traditional units of measurement: from now on, British supermarkets, pubs and restaurants will be allowed to sell wine or sparkling wine in pints, which are equivalent to 568 milliliters. In future, British consumers will be able to follow the example of their legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who, according to tradition, enjoyed a pint of Pol Roger champagne.
This step is possible thanks to the "new freedoms" brought about by leaving the European Union, explained the Department of Trade. In addition to the UK, traditional British units of measurement are still used in the USA, Myanmar and Liberia.
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Despite the announcement from Boris Johnson about considering a move away from the metric system, the British Department of Trade has decided against any changes for now. This means that the use of traditional units like pounds and pints in retail, while mentioning the metric equivalents, will continue. However, a significant change has been made – British supermarkets, pubs, and restaurants can now sell wine or sparkling wine in pints. This change comes as a result of the newfound freedoms secured following the UK's exit from the EU. Although the UK has a rich history of using imperial measures, the majority of the population, as per a government survey, remains satisfied with the metric system for buying and selling purposes.
Source: www.ntv.de
