This is a political distraction designed to distract BOTH sides (pro & anti Tory government). It is working fantastically since people are discussing this rather than the PM committing crimes, getting caught, and then changing the ethics code to avoid resignation (and multiple no confidence letters from back-benchers).
Ultimately this is a consultation with no teeth. Industry are against it since it will add significant cost and regulatory problems, and with the UK already struggling under Brexit importation issues, it would be very self-destructive. It only really appeals to a very old, very pro-Tory demographic, that is rapidly disappearing.
But again this is all a political distraction, they will do this consultation, milk it as much as they can, and then pocket it. Or just make it officially optional which nobody will utilize but have some technicality they can point to.
That isn't the case is it. Lots of people with vested interests say there are issues, but it turns out they just want government to ease the path for their operations and bring in lots of immigrant lorry drivers so they don't have to pay a proper wage. Pandering to exporters and big business is why Brexit happened in the first place.
There is no reason for the EU directive and it should be scrapped. The market can then decide what weights and measures are appropriate for their supply chain. That allows an increase in competition which is always a good idea.
Very likely little will change other than milk will return to just being in pints, beer will have a pint label on it and we can sell things to the USA in the measures the USA uses, while potentially avoiding the relabelling required for US imports.
The UK import mechanism is entirely under the UK's control. If it is onerous then now we are out of the EU we can streamline it. Given our very strong consumer laws we don't need the 'hard shell' approach so beloved by the EU. The extensive liability of the retailer will ensure standards are maintained via back pressure in the supply chain.
There has never been a single suggestion by government that imperial measures will be required. Just that their use won't be banned as the primary measure - as it is now.
There is literally no requirement for this "inquiry" and it's entirely about ruffling up the Tory/leave fools.
"Pandering to exporters", like the Scottish salmon farmers and the other agricultural exporters, like the manufacturers that now have to fill in EU custom forms and don't even have the benefit of a supposed US market.
Leaving the EU was always a nonsense, from the same people that think "Fog in Channel, continent cut off" is true. EU doesn't need the UK, the UK cut off its nose to spite its face by leaving its primary market, both economically and geographically.
There is literally no advantage to returning to imperial measures from metric.
There is no one, either in importing, or exporting, or domestic industry calling for a return to metric measures. What's next? Return to pre-decimal currency?
> There is no reason for the EU directive and it should be scrapped. The market can then decide what weights and measures are appropriate for their supply chain. That allows an increase in competition which is always a good idea.
Let's run with this idea. Perhaps the government should invest in the development of several new competing standards, all in the name of competition. Do you think this would be a good idea?
If that were true, the Northern Ireland Protocol wouldn't be the political disaster that it is.
It's called standards. And standards make life easier. Shockingly poor opinion on an IT forum where we get to experience good and poor standards on an extreme scale.
You are likely unaware of it, but the pints and gallons used by the US are entirely different from the pints in Blighty. One of the reason why using customary measures has been discontinued by anyone smart.
Would using imperial money let merchants do dark patterns better? Like the USA pricing gasoline to the mill, $4.499 feels a lot less than $4.50.
I suspect this comes from a time when a Pound was a lot compare to the price of petrol...
Good luck.
> The UK has a long and proud history of using imperial measures and their use is closely associated with our culture and language.
Ah yes, the same pitch that sold Brexit.