Culture

EU abandons plans to force UK to go metric

by Kaitlin | May 9, 2007 at 02:43 pm

605 views | 2 Recommendations | 1 comment

Despite a long campaign to the contrary, the European Union has abruptly dropped plans to phase out the Imperial measurement system in the UK by 2009. Signs and food packaging (and the all important pint) in the country use both systems to appeal to both metric users and those who are faithful to the old system. The only other major country to still use the Imperial system is the United States.

"This is a victory for common sense," Liberal Democrat lawmaker Liz Lynne said. "I have always said that if people want their produce in pounds and ounces or in pints they should be allowed it and if they want to buy in metric also they should be able to."

Not everyone was thrilled. Metric-minded Britons argue the system of imperial measurements, which was standardized in 1836, are antiquated, inconsistent and harmful to the economy.