Typical bloody British intransigence! Helping export chances - the US doesn't even use the same measures.

We went metric back in the 1970's! Going round a British supermarket is a joke: pre-packed everything is metric, at the deli it's imperial.

As for the saving the pount, pint, etc. In Germany and the Netherlands it's common practice to order in "pond" or "Pfund" and mean 500g, ie. 46g more than an imperial pound. Everyone knows what they're getting and no one bats an eyelid. The same could be done in the UK and for a pint: as long as the crown referred to the 250ml or 500ml line no one would mind. But pragmatism in the UK, no chance!

As for stateside: don't forget Canada has been metric for ages.