Metric units and traders

Clarifying the law on weighing and measuring

The current situation is that traders must use metric units when weighing or measuring goods for sale. They may use Imperial units only as a supplementary (secondary) indication; although there are a few exceptions, e.g. pints for beer.

EU legislation originally required the UK to stop the use of Imperial measures altogether from 2010, however this legislation was revoked, and it is now intended to allow the secondary use of Imperial units indefinitely. This was the result of a lengthy consultation process with a number of bodies and not the result of pressure from any one group. Full details of the current TS policy may be found on the TSI website.

There is no proposal to allow the UK to revert to Imperial units as the primary system.

Further information on metrication may be obtained from the Council’s Trading Standards department on 020 7364 5008 or via Trading Standards website