I. SUMMARY

The Metric Study Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-472) called for an extensive study of the present and future effects of increasing worldwide and domestic metric usage on various activities in the United States. The Consumer Study was directed to these effects as they apply to the individual American.

A portion of the Consumer Study involved a survey of attitudes and opinions of consumers and their level of knowledge of both the customary and metric systems of measurement. In another portion, experts presented views on the present impact of metrication on selected consumer activities and the possible future effects with no national program to increase metric use; or, alternatively, with a planned program of metrication.

The sample survey disclosed that a majority of consumers are satisfied with the customary system, that they know very little about the metric system, and that they could be expected to react with apathy and indifference to any planned conversion program. Those who did not react favorably to metrication gave as reasons, "inconvenience of a change," and "satisfaction with the present system." However, many of them admitted that metrication did have some advantages. Those who thought it was a good idea to change explained, "It is used by most other countries," and "It is a decimal system and easier to use."

The fact that a majority of the respondents were unable to name a single metric measure, and relatively few were familiar with either the relationships within the metric system or the relationship of metric units to customary units, suggests that much of the resistance to possible conversion stems from a lack of knowledge of the metric system. This was corroborated by the fact that those who were familiar with the metric system generally favored conversion, emphasizing the advantages and minimizing the disadvantages.

The level of knowledge of the metric system was apparently related to the educational level and to the age of the respondent. Young people and highly educated people generally were more knowledgeable. Respondents seemed more familiar with prefixes and the relationship of base units and subunits in the metric system than with the relationship of metric measures to customary measures.

Experts submitting papers in selected areas of consumer concern verified that customary units and standards are used almost exclusively in consumer activities. They reported that the consumer is generally satisfied with the customary system and is little affected by the increasing worldwide use of the metric system. In many situations the consumer is totally unaware of the fact that a purchased item may involve metric language, components, or standards.

Particular emphasis was directed to the lack of standardization in areas such as retail clothing and foods, and the promulgation of unsystematic and confusing practices, especially in consumer product information. To some consumers this situation is confusing and frustrating. For example, ready-towear clothing is offered to the consumer in a proliferation of illogically conceived sizes, and, similarly, processed foods are packaged in such a variety of sizes as to make price comparison almost impossible.

The experts almost unanimously agreed that conversion problems and costs would be confined to the transition period, and once completed, the advantages would outweigh the costs and inconveniences of the changeover.

Some of the direct advantages mentioned were simplification of calculations, elimination of ambiguities in measurement units (e.g., dry and liquid pints and ounces), and increased facility in foreign travel. Metrication was also visualized as the opportunity and possibly the incentive to introduce improved standards for clothing sizes, simplification of package and can sizes, elimination of confusing practices in consumer product information, and possible standardization at the international level.

There was unanimous agreement that the major disadvantage of planned metrication would be a psychological one of adjustment. Successful conversion would require a massive program of public education.

II. NATURE OF THE CONSUMER STUDY

BACKGROUND OF THE U.S. METRIC STUDY

Since its inception in France in 1790, the use of the metric system has steadily increased throughout the world. With the decision in 1965 by Great Britain to begin a 10-year program of changing to the metric system, and with the subsequent announcements by South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada that they were planning to change to metric, the United States was left as the only major industrial country not on the metric system or committed to changing over.

This trend, along with other considerations, led the U.S. Congress in 1968 to pass the Metric Study Act, Public Law 90-472 (app. 1), calling for a study of the present and future effects of metrication in the United States, and an investigation of the desirability of increasing the use of metric weights and measures. The Act outlined a comprehensive investigation of all sectors of the society.

The three basic issues of the U.S. Metric Study are:

What is the present impact within the United States of increasing worldwide use of the metric system?

What would this impact be in the future, assuming that the use or nonuse of the metric system continues as at present, with no coordination among the various sectors of the society?

Alternatively, what would be the effect of a coordinated national program to increase the use of the metric system?

ISSUES OF THE CONSUMER STUDY

All consumers are confronted with measurements. They purchase, use, create, and relax with units of measurement. Who can escape pounds, inches, yards, miles, cups, and degrees Fahrenheit in food and clothing purchases, football games, automobile use, food preparation, and weather reports? These patterns of use establish a sense of familiarity and an engendered complacency. But how much of the customary measurement system does the consumer really comprehend? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of its use?

Increasing worldwide use of the metric system presents new units for possible use by manufacturers and retailers. Any change adopted by them ultimately will confront the consumer. Consumers have already witnessed the change in dual labels on grocery store items, in prescription medicine, and in track events. Claims have been made by consumer spokesmen that the metric system would be to the consumer's advantage. What are these advantages?

The Consumer Study investigated these and other questions as follows: the extent of the consumer's knowledge of measurement units; the system of units in use in selected consumer activities, and their advantages and disadvantages; the effect on the consumer of the increasing worldwide use of the metric system; the possible advantages and disadvantages of changing to the metric system; attitudes and opinions concerning a planned change to the metric system; and means of informing and educating the consumer should there be a planned program of metrication.

METHODOLOGY

For 20 years the Survey Research Center (SRC), Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, has studied the consumer's level of information and attitudes in many areas. Professor George Katona of SRC afforded the opportunity for a metric survey to be conducted as a piggy-back to their ongoing quarterly economic consumer survey. This arrangement had the advantage of obtaining information on consumers' knowledge of measurement systems and their attitudes toward metric, at a lower cost than a full-scale survey would entail. A survey totally devoted to the metric issues was not possible because of financial limitations.

This personal interview survey used a sample of approximately 1,400 family units representative of all family units living in private dwellings in the continental United States. Twenty-two questions, about one-quarter of the total survey, were devoted to metric issues. They first explored the respondent's level of knowledge of the customary system and the metric system, and his familiarity with relationships between units in the metric and customary systems. Respondents indicating that they had used another measuring system while living or traveling abroad were queried concerning their ex

Six questions asked opinions concerning the respondent's ability to adjust to metric units. Then he was asked whether it would be a good or a bad idea for the United States to change to the metric system and why. Finally, respondents were asked to agree or disagree with six statements presented as arguments either in favor of or opposed to conversion. The results of this survey are contained in chapter III of this report.

The Consumer Study also investigated the advantages and disadvantages of the present system of measurement and the possible future effects of planned metrication. Consumer spokesmen concurred that these objectives could be attained most successfully by asking experts to prepare papers on selected consumer activities. With the assistance of the President's Committee on Consumer Interest, all national, state, and local consumer groups were invited to submit information and comments pertaining to the metric issues. The American Home Economics Association (AHEA) offered their cooperation and assistance, and convened a steering committee of notable consumer spokesmen. This assured broad consumer representation in the determination of the areas of consumer concern, and in the selection of experts to prepare papers on them. The areas selected for study were food, clothing, the home, transportation, and consumer attitudes and education. Each invitee prepared a paper based on guidelines related to the issues of the study. These papers are contained in chapter IV of this report.

A National Metric Study Conference on Consumer Affairs was held in cooperation with the AHEA on October 12-13, 1970, at the National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland. At this conference the invitees summarized their analyses. The conference was open to the public and all interested organizations and persons were invited to attend.