The Weights and Measures Act 1985 (c. 72) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated enactments related to weights and measures in Great Britain.

The act defines the four primary units of measurement as the metre or the yard (defined in terms of the metre) for length, and the kilogram or pound (defined in terms of the kilogram) for mass. The act also requires standard physical examples to be maintained (known as "United Kingdom primary standards") for each of the four primary units. (c. 72)

In addition, the definitions of units which are multiples or sub-multiples of the primary units are defined, in terms of the primary units, and given as: mile, foot, inch, kilometre, decimetre, centimetre, millimetre, acre, square yard, square foot, hectare, decare, are, square metre, square decimetre, square centimetre, square millimetre, cubic metre, cubic decimetre, cubic centimetre, hectolitre, litre, decilitre, centilitre, millilitre, gallon, quart, pint, gill, fluid ounce, pound, ounce, ounce troy, tonne, kilogram, hectogram, gram, carat (metric) and milligram.

As originally enacted, the act also defined, in the same way, units which could not be used for trade as: furlong, chain, square mile, rood, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple, metric ton and quintal.

, following multiple amendments over the years since enactment, the metre, yard, kilogram and pound remain as the primary defined units and with the requirement to maintain the "United Kingdom primary standards" for them.

At the same time, all the imperial units, except pint and ounce troy (but including all of those which were originally defined as not to be used for trade) were reclassified as being available for use for trade as supplementary indications, namely: mile, furlong, chain, yard, foot, inch, square mile, acre, rood, square yard, square foot, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, gallon, quart, gill, fluid ounce, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, pound, ounce, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple and quintal. The tonne was also reclassified as being available for use for trade as a supplementary unit of measure,

Provisions Repealed enactments Sections 98(1) and 98(2) of the act repealed 18 enactments and revoked 14 instruments, listed in parts I and II of schedule 13 to the act, respectively. +Part I - repealsCitationShort titleExtent of repeal1963 c. 31Weights and Measures Act 1963The whole act.1968 c. 29Trade Descriptions Act 1968In section 26(1), the words from "and section 37" to the end.1970 c. 40Agriculture Act 1970In section 25, in subsection (3), the words from "and section 37" to "that Act" and, in subsection (5), the words from "shall have effect" to "1963 but".1972 c. 70Local Government Act 1972Section 112(4)(d).Section 201.1973 c. 41Fair Trading Act 1973In section 27(1), the words from "and section 37" to the end.1973 c. 65Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973Section 64(5)(d).Section 149.In Schedule 25, paragraphs 29, 30 and 31.1974 c. 7Local Government Act 1974In Schedule 6, paragraph 15.1975 c. 21Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975Section 289C(2)(b).1976 c. 77Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976The whole act, except sections 12 to 14 and 15(1) to (3) and Schedule 6.1977 c. 45Criminal Law Act 1977Section 31(2)(b).1979 c. 2Customs and Excise Management Act 1979In Schedule 4, in paragraph 12, in the Table, the entry relating to the Weights and Measures Act 1963.1979 c. 4Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979In Schedule 3, paragraphs 3 and 4.1979 c. 45Weights and Measures Act 1979The whole act.1980 c. 43Magistrates' Courts Act 1980In Schedule 7, paragraphs 188 and 189.1980 c. 65Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980In section 1(4), the words "weights and measures and to". In Schedule 4, paragraphs 2 to 9 and 11 and 12.1984 c. 30Food Act 1984In Schedule 10, paragraphs 4 and 5.1985 c. 9Companies Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1985In Schedule 2, the entry relating to the Weights and Measures Act 1979.1985 c. 51Local Government Act 1985In Schedule 8, paragraph 15(1). +Part II - revocationsCitationTitleExtent of revocationSI 1966/238Weights and Measures (Solid Fuel) (Carriage by Rail) Order 1966The whole order.SI 1970/1708Weights and Measures Act (Amendment of Schedules 5 and 7) Order 1970The whole order.SI 1974/874Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Dentifrices) Order 1974Article 2.SI 1978/484Units of Measurement Regulations 1978Regulation 4(2) and (3).Regulation 5.Regulation 8.SI 1979/955Weights and Measures (Solid Fuel) (Carriage by Rail) (Amendment) Order 1979The whole order.SI 1979/1753Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Solid Fuel) Order 1979The whole order.SI 1980/1070Units of Measurement Regulations 1980In regulation 9(1), 10(1) and 11, the words "or in Part IV of these Regulations".Regulation 10(2) to (4).In regulation 11, the words "to (3)".Regulation 12.Regulation 13.Regulation 16.Schedule 4.In Schedule 5, the amendments of the Weights and Measures Act 1963.SI 1980/1742Units of Measurement (No. 2) Regulations 1980Regulations 2 and 3.SI 1983/1077Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Amendment of Schedule 3) Order 1983The whole order.SI 1984/1314Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1984Article 2.SI 1984/1315Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Cheese, Fish, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Meat and Poultry) Order 1984Article 3.SI 1984/1316Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Miscellaneous Foods) Order 1984Articles 3 and 17.SI 1985/435Weights and Measures (Solid Fuel) (Carriage by Rail) (Amendment) Order 1985The whole order.SI 1985/777Units of Measurement Regulations 1985Regulation 4.

Notes

References

External links