BNSI pushes phased metric move with public campaigns, tools

Barbados is being urged to make a complete transition from the use of pounds in commercial transactions and fully adopt kilogrammes, as the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) warns that delays in completing the shift could undermine trade efficiency, business operations and consumer understanding.

The BNSI said on Tuesday that the country needs to, without further delay, embrace kilogrammes as the primary unit of mass used in commerce to strengthen its international competitiveness.

“The BNSI encourages all businesses, retailers, industry stakeholders, and consumers to support the transition to kilogrammes. The adoption of the metric system is an important step toward modernizing commercial practices and positioning Barbados for continued economic growth and global competitiveness.

Barbados began transitioning to the metric system from as early as 1973 as part of a wider regional and international shift towards standardisation, formally adopting metric units for official use in a new Weights and Measures Act, which went into effect on August 1, 1977.

Elements of the imperial system, particularly pounds, have persisted in shops while service stations sell fuel by the litre, creating a dual system that continues to affect consistency across industries.

The BNSI said: “Although kilogrammes are the internationally recognized unit of mass under the International System of Units (SI), pounds remain widely used in many areas of local commerce. The continued reliance on pounds presents several challenges that can affect trade efficiency, business operations, and consumer understanding.”

The standards watchdog noted that since most international markets use kilogrammes, businesses trading in pounds often need to convert measurements for exports, imports and commercial documentation.

It said: “These conversions can increase the risk of errors and misunderstandings, while also adding costs related to labelling, packaging, and record-keeping. They may further contribute to trade delays and create additional compliance requirements for exporters.

“Within Barbados, the simultaneous use of pounds and kilogrammes creates inconsistencies between commercial activities and the metric system already used in education, science, engineering, and other technical fields. It can also make it more difficult for consumers to compare product prices and quantities when different units of measurement are used. Using the same unit of measurement for all products makes shopping simpler, clearer, and fairer because people can immediately see which product offers better value.”

To support the transition, the BNSI has implemented a phased approach to increase the use of metric measurements across Barbados, including meetings with interest groups and public awareness initiatives.

Since 2023, the standards body has hosted a series of stakeholder webinars under the theme “Pounds to Kilogrammes”.

“Additional support will include practical conversion aids, guides, and communication tools to help businesses and consumers apply unit conversions with ease. Promotional activities will also include market signage, radio advertisements, social media campaigns, and community outreach programmes.”

The BNSI further advised that transitioning to kilogrammes would provide significant benefits for Barbados by aligning trade practices with internationally accepted standards:

“Greater use of kilogrammes would simplify imports and exports, improve accuracy in commercial transactions, promote consistency across industries, and strengthen confidence in the marketplace.”

(EJ)