LONDON: The UK authorities stated on Wednesday (Dec 27) it had dropped its plan to begin promoting in imperial measures after a session revealed 99 p.c assist for protecting the metric system.
Ministers had checked out altering the regulation after the UK’s departure from the European Union in 2020 to permit merchants to make use of Britain’s conventional weighing system – which measures in kilos and pints – solely alongside the metric one.
However they determined in opposition to the transfer after 98.7 per cent of the 100,938 respondents to an official session stated they had been pleased utilizing metric models when shopping for or promoting a product.
“The federal government has analysed all session responses acquired and reviewed the arguments for and in opposition to increasing using imperial models in home shopper transactions,” a press release from the division of enterprise and commerce stated.
“After cautious consideration, the federal government has determined in opposition to any legislative modifications right now.”
The division stated the UK had “an extended and proud historical past” of utilizing imperial measures and that their use is “carefully related to our tradition and language”.
Distances in Britain are nonetheless measured in miles, whereas beers and milk are additionally bought in pints.
The division additionally introduced that guidelines could be altered to permit a 568ml “pint” dimension of wine to be stocked on Britain’s supermarkets, pubs, golf equipment and restaurant for the primary time.
The transfer, it stated, that was “ever due to new freedoms from leaving the European Union”.
The 568 ml dimension would sit alongside the 200 ml and 500 ml measures already accessible, it stated.
The division stated the reforms had been due to “new Brexit freedoms” obtained through the Retained EU Regulation (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
“Our exit from the EU was all about moments identical to this, the place we will seize new alternatives and supply an actual increase to our nice British wineries and additional rising the economic system,” enterprise, markets and small enterprise minister Kevin Hollinrake stated.
Throughout the UK’s 2019 common election marketing campaign, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson pledged that he would carry again imperial models in outlets.
The previous UK chief claimed that measuring in kilos and ounces was an “historic liberty” and promised a “new period of generosity and tolerance” in the direction of conventional measurements.
The USA, Myanmar and Liberia are the one different nations that use the imperial system each day.