Editing Metrication (section)

===United Kingdom===
{{See also|Metrication in the United Kingdom}}
In the United Kingdom, some of the population continues to resist metrication to varying degrees. The traditional imperial measures are preferred by a majority and continue to have widespread use in some applications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Will British people ever think in metric? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16245391 |access-date=24 February 2012 |work=BBC News |date=21 December 2011 |author=Jon Kelly |quote=...but today the British remain unique in Europe by holding onto imperial weights and measures. ...the persistent British preference for imperial over metric is particularly noteworthy... |archive-date=24 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424232814/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16245391 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=In the merry old land of lb and oz|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=10 May 2007|author=Melanie McDonagh|quote=A survey from the British Weights and Measures Association, admittedly a partial source, suggested that 80 per cent of people prefer imperial to metric and 70 per cent, including, remarkably, 18- to 24-year-olds, can make sense of weights only in imperial measurements.|url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/in-the-merry-old-land-of-lb-and-oz-8s05g6xvgn7|url-access=subscription|access-date=13 August 2022|archive-date=13 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813153825/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/in-the-merry-old-land-of-lb-and-oz-8s05g6xvgn7|url-status=live}}</ref> The metric system is used by most businesses,<ref>{{Cite report
 |url          = http://ukma.org.uk/sites/default/files/met1980.pdf
 |title        = Final Report of the Metrication Board (1980)
 |at           = para 1.6 & 1.10
 |publisher    = Department of Trade and Industry Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate
 |location     = London
 |access-date  = 29 June 2012
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130501034405/http://ukma.org.uk/sites/default/files/met1980.pdf
 |archive-date = 1 May 2013
|url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> and is used for most trade transactions. Metric units must be used for certain trading activities (selling by weight or measure for example), although imperial units may continue to be displayed in parallel.<ref name="bl">{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-regulation-weights-and-measures |title=Weights and measures legislation – hallmarking and metrication |work=Business Link |publisher=UK Government |access-date=24 February 2015 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214083750/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-regulation-weights-and-measures |url-status=live }}</ref>

British law has enacted the provisions of [[European units of measurement directives|European Union directive 80/181/EEC]], which catalogues the units of measure that may be used for "economic, public health, public safety and administrative purposes".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/250658/0272.pdf |url-status=live |title=Weights and Measures Report 1995 – 2008|publisher=National Weights and Measures Laboratory|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705005001/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/250658/0272.pdf |access-date=24 November 2014|archive-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> These units consist of the recommendations of the [[General Conference on Weights and Measures]],<ref name=SIBrochure/> supplemented by some additional units of measure that may be used for specified purposes.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1980L0181:20000209:EN:PDF
| author = The Council of the European Communities
| title = Council Directive 80/181/EEC of 20 December 1979 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to Unit of measurement and on the repeal of Directive 71/354/EEC
| date = 9 February 2000
| access-date = 28 October 2011
| archive-date = 23 August 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110823031027/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1980L0181:20000209:EN:PDF
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Metric units could be legally used for trading purposes for nearly a century before [[Metrication in the United Kingdom|metrication efforts]] began in earnest. The government had been making preparations for the conversion of the [[imperial unit]] since the 1862 ''Select Committee on Weights and Measures'' recommended the conversion<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Department of Trade and Industry, United Kingdom |year=1862 |url=http://www.metric.org.uk/Docs/DTI/met1862.pdf |title=Report (1862) from the Select Committee on Weights and Measures |access-date=23 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609211239/http://www.metric.org.uk/Docs/DTI/met1862.pdf |archive-date=9 June 2009}}</ref> and the ''Weights and Measures Act of 1864'' and the ''Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act of 1896'' legalised the metric system.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metric.org.uk/Press/metrictimeline.aspx |title=Metrication Timeline |website=[[UK Metric Association]] |year=2008 |access-date=23 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608034304/http://www.metric.org.uk/press/metrictimeline.aspx |archive-date=8 June 2009}}</ref>

In 1965, with lobbying from British industries and the prospects of joining the [[European Community|Common Market]], the government set a 10-year target for full conversion, and created the [[Metrication Board]] in 1969. Metrication occurred in some areas during this time period, including the re-surveying of [[Ordnance Survey]] maps in 1970, [[decimalisation]] of the [[Pound sterling|currency]] in 1971, and teaching the metric system in schools. No plans were made to make the use of the metric system compulsory, and the Metrication Board was abolished in 1980 following a [[1979 United Kingdom general election|change in government]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Jim Humble |url=http://www.metric.org.uk/Press/Articles.aspx?ID=7 |date=12 December 2002 |title=Historical perspectives by the last Director of the UK Metrication Board |website=[[UK Metric Association]] |access-date=27 May 2009 }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The United Kingdom avoided having to comply with the 1989 European Units of Measurement Directive (89/617/EEC), which required all member states to make the metric system compulsory, by negotiating [[derogation]]s (delayed switchovers), including for miles on road signs and for pints for draught beer, cider, and milk sales.<ref>{{Cite report
 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1804/contents/made
 |title=The Units of Measurement Regulations 1995
 |id=Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 1804
 |publisher=[[legislation.gov.uk]]
 |year=1995
 |isbn=978-0-11-053334-6
 |access-date=27 August 2006
 |archive-date=17 October 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101017003707/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1804/contents/made
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

Immediately following the United Kingdom's [[Brexit|vote to withdraw from the European Union]], it was reported that some retailers requested to revert to imperial units, with some reverting without permission. A poll following the 2016 vote also found that 45% of Britons sought to revert to selling produce in imperial units.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Adam |last=Taylor |date=31 August 2016 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/08/31/after-brexit-some-brits-want-to-ditch-the-metric-system-too/ |title=After Brexit, some Brits want to ditch the metric system, too |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=4 October 2016 |archive-date=5 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005170845/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/08/31/after-brexit-some-brits-want-to-ditch-the-metric-system-too/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The UK government started a consultation on 3 June 2022 on the choice of units of measurement markings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/choice-on-units-of-measurement-markings-and-sales |title=Choice on units of measurement: Markings and sales |work=gov.uk |access-date=20 October 2023 |date=3 June 2022 |archive-date=7 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107040700/https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/choice-on-units-of-measurement-markings-and-sales |url-status=live }}</ref>

Imperial units remain in common everyday use for human body measurements, in particular [[stone (unit)|stone]]s and [[pound (mass)|pound]]s for weight, and [[foot (unit)|feet]] and [[inch]]es for height.

Fuel economy is often advertised in miles per imperial gallon, which may lead to some confusion for users of US gallons for American manufactured cars.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK owners... MPG imperial or US gallons ? |url=https://priuschat.com/threads/uk-owners-mpg-imperial-or-us-gallons.53300/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=PriusChat |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118181641/https://priuschat.com/threads/uk-owners-mpg-imperial-or-us-gallons.53300/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Heating, air conditioning, and gas cooking appliances occasionally display power in British thermal units per hour (BTU/h).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honeywell 9000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner - White - HT09CESAWK |url=https://www.airconcentre.co.uk/products/honeywell-9000-btu-3-in-1-portable-air-conditioner-ht09cesawk |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Airconcentre.co.uk |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118181641/https://www.airconcentre.co.uk/products/honeywell-9000-btu-3-in-1-portable-air-conditioner-ht09cesawk |url-status=live }}</ref>