Role of Metric in U.S. Exports. Metric Measurement in International Trade: Case 3. The Processed Food Industry

摘要

This case study analyzes how metric enters into the international trade in the processed food industry. The report is based on information from the American National Metric Council, interviews with trade associations and firms within the industry, government agencies dealing with the industry's international trade, and review of the literature on the industry. The processed food industry sells most of its products to the domestic U.S. market. The industry reports few economic incentives to invest in the capital equipment to produce hard-metric (standard-sized metric) products for export. Companies also claim that most foreign customers are willing to accept customary or dual-labeled products. Several deterrents to standard metric-sized processed food products are the domestic consumer's lack of familiarity with metric, cost of new packaging equipment, and the effects of changes in package sizes on shipping. Some manufacturers, however, have started producing some food lines in metric package sizes. There also will be more and more enforcement of foreign metric requirements.