Metrology (not meteorology that is something completely different) is the science of measurement. It is more commonly referred to as Weights and Measures.
Without metrology, things like manufacturing, medicine, sports, food and even everyday tasks would be significantly compromised.
Have a quick think - the weight of your food, the length of fabric, medicine doses, your pint in the pub, fuel in your car and building construction. We rely on correct measurements but who enforces them? Weights and Measures inspectors in Trading Standards.
Imagine a world where every town, every region, even every trade had its own unique way of measuring length, weight, and volume. This wasn't a hypothetical scenario; it was the reality before the Metre Convention which is 150 years old in 2025. The legacy of the Metre Convention is profound. The metric system, now adopted by the vast majority of countries worldwide, underpins global trade, scientific research, technological innovation, and countless aspects of our daily lives.
Trading Standards in action
In July 2024 Weights and Measures Inspectors checked petrol/diesel pumps on forecourts. 96% of pumps were found to be dispensing fuel accurately. Those not measuring accurately were issued compliance notices or immediately taken out of service.
In November 2024 we also checked the accuracy of shop scales in greengrocers, butchers, supermarkets etc. 91% of all scales tested were found to be weighing accurately. This is an increase from 2023 where 90% of scales were found to be accurate.
Those not weighing accurately were issued compliance notices or immediately taken out of service. Interestingly, some scales found to be outside of legal tolerance were weighing to the detriment of the trader, in other words they were losing money by giving product away.
Some fun facts about Weights and Measures
- The earliest recorded systems of weights and measures originate to the fourth millennium BC
- The statutory function of Inspectors of Weights and Measures dates back to 1340 and the reign of King Edward III. 685 years later and contemporary Inspectors in Trading Standards continue to do the same work as their forefathers.
- The first recorded law on weights and measures in England was in 965 AD during the reign of King Edgar when it was enacted that only one weight and one measure should pass throughout the Kings dominions.
- The Magna Carta, signed by King John at Runnymede in Surrey on 15 June 1215, declares 'there is to be one measure of wine throughout our kingdom, and one measure of ale, and one measure of corn'.
- The origin of "baker's dozen" comes from the historical practice of bakers including an extra loaf in a dozen to avoid punishment for underweight loaves. Selling bread below the required weight or size was punishable by fines or even flogging
- Of all the countries in the world only three do not use the metric system - the USA, Liberia, and Myanmar.
- At 15 litres, the largest bottle of champagne, the Nebuchadnezzar, is equal to 20 standard bottles
- In Ancient Egyptian beliefs, the weighing of the heart was a crucial part of the journey to the afterlife. The deceased's heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of truth, balance, and justice, to determine their fate. If the heart balanced with the feather, the soul passed into paradise; if it was heavier, the soul was devoured by the demon Ammit and doomed to darkness.
- Weight is dependent on gravity. An object at sea level, will weigh less at the top of Mount Everest, and even less on the moon. An object in open space will have little to no weight, hence the term weightlessness.
