page_title: Metrication in the United States
section_title: Non-packaged foods
hierarchical_section_title: Metrication in the United States / Current use / Consumer and retail / Non-packaged foods
caption_attribution_description: English: On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The new label will make it easier for consumers to make better informed food choices. FDA published the final rules in the Federal Register on May 27, 2016.
context_page_description: Metrication is the process of introducing the International System of Units, also known as SI units or the metric system, to replace a jurisdiction's traditional measuring units. Although U.S. customary units have been defined in terms of metric units since the 19th century, as of 2019 the United States is one of only three countries that have not officially adopted the metric system as the primary means of weights and measures.
  The United States has official legislation for metrication; however, conversion was not mandatory and many industries chose not to convert, and unlike other countries, there is no governmental or major social desire to implement further metrication.
  Although customary units are used more often than metric units in the U.S., the SI system is used extensively in some fields such as science, medicine, the military, automobile production and repair, and international affairs. Post-1994 federal law also mandates most packaged consumer goods be labeled in both customary and metric units.
context_section_description: Loose fruits and vegetables are near universally priced per pound or per item. In both supermarkets and steakhouses, cuts of meat are sold in ounces and pounds. Loosely sold goods need not carry a unit conversion.
caption: Sample U.S. Nutrition Facts label
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