Go Metric! - Blog - MetricSigns

I have the fortunate task of making signs in my store. As some may know I work for Food Lion a subsidary of Delhaize Group. When making signs for the store I put the Metric sizes on the signs instead of the Customary sizes. I have the support of the managers and customers. Most customers I have spoken to about the metric tell me it was much easier to make sure they are getting the right size product for the price. I have also written a letter to Food Lion and Delhaize asking them to be the leaders that they are and make the conversion. Since it is perfectly legal to advertise in metric then I feel we should. I have taken pictures of the signs but not sure how to post them here. But here is a copy of the letter that I wrote. Hopefully it will prove to be good reading. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Bruce M. Herbertson III

Here is the letter I wrote...

I am not just a customer I am an Employee of Food Lion. I am very proud to be a team member with Food Lion. Food Lion has always been an industry leader in so many ways. Other Supermarkets have taken what Food Lion has done and implemented our practices into their practices. Other supermarket companies really do follow our lead. Can you imagine what would happen in the industry if more than 1200 Food Lion store and all of Delhaize's Subsidiaries in the US changed over? I am pretty sure that all other supermarket companies will follow along with us. We are truly leaders in the grocery industry (US and World Wide), and I feel that we (Food Lion, Delhaize Group) should help lead our industry and Country to finish our metrication. I have thoroughly read the FPLA (Fair Package and Labeling Act) and it is perfectly legal to advertise in Metric. In 1988, Congress amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (see

§ 5164 of Public Law 100-418) to declare that it is the policy of the United States to designate the metric system of

measurement as the preferred measurement system for US. trade and commerce, and it further defined "the metric system of

measurement" to be the International System as established by the GIPM and as interpreted or modified for the United States

by the Secretary of Commerce. See Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (Public Law 94 - 168, § 3 (1) and § 4 (4))

My suggestions are as follows.

Shelf Tags: Immediately show Price Per Unit in metric only. e.g.. (price per gram, price per milliliter) From my years in the grocery business I have noticed that most customers don't look at the Price Per Unit. They look at the total price for the product and they make sure they get the right size for the price. Shelf tag Price Per Unit will not be a hindrance in comparison shopping in fact it would be easier.

In store made signs and Specials, MVP signs: Start out by making them with Metric Units as the primary and in larger print and Customary Units secondary in smaller print. Do this for the period of one year then gradually over a period of six months phase out the Customary units. This will get the customers used to seeing the Metric Units and will be able to immediately and quickly make the right comparison.

Store weighed Fresh Meats, Deli sliced meats and cheeses, and Produce: Advertise Metric Units as primary and in larger print and Customary Units in smaller print. The labels for Fresh Meats, Deli sliced Meats and Cheeses should show price in Metric Units (Price per kilogram and total price). Produce items weighed at the register should show Metric Units on the scale and "Price per kilogram" on the display and receipt

The change over will have some cost involved with it at first, but this will be money well spent and in the long run will have paid for itself over and over again with continued streamlined operations. Our electronic equipment, scales and registers are already able to be changed over with very little expense. Most of it should be a minor software change. Delhaize Group should be able to suggest how to do that since most of Delhaize Groups stores are in Europe which is fully Metric. The longer our country delays finalizing the metrication process the harder and more expensive it will be to finish the change over. Food Lion should be the leader in this effort and can assure you that other companies will follow suit. Not to mention changing over will open us up for more and better distribution and product lines. I thank you for your time and hope to hear back soon.

Please feel free to contact me at any time.

Sincerely, Bruce M. Herbertson III Food Lion Store 323 My address: P.O. Box 635 Erwin, TN 37650-0635

Home: 423-743-6422 Cell: 423-330-0676 Work: 423-743-7118