Next time you walk into the Asda grocery store, be prepared to have a choice about your strawberries. Do you prefer to have them weighed in imperial weight labels or in metric labels?
How Would You Like Those Strawberries?
For the first time in 16 years, shoppers will have to make this decision, as consumer research has recently indicated that 70% of supermarket shoppers at Asda are confused by the metric system and would rather have their products labeled in pounds. The same research found that 20% of shoppers said that it took them longer to shop because they were busy translating metric measurements into imperial ones.
As Asda strawberry buyer Andy Jackson told the trade magazine The Grocer,
“No one wants to order a litre of beer in the pub, so why do we have to buy 453.39g of strawberries?”
Weighing In on Measurements
At the moment, the law says that metric weights are required to be displayed. However, since there was a change in the EU law in 2007, imperial weight measurements can be used as a “supplementary indication.” The director of the British Weights and Measures Association explained that consumers do have the right to see both types of measurements when they buy their groceries.
Should the trial prove to be successful, you just might be able to buy your other fruits and vegetables in pounds and ounces as well soon.