When is a ton not a tonne?

I refer to the comments in The Star on May 16 from '˜name and address supplied' regarding the so-called rip-off of EU countries demanding 1016kg when Britain supply a ton of material within the EU.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th May 2016, 06:36 BST

Updated 19th May 2016, 07:41 BST

There is an obvious reason for this that appears beyond your writer’s knowledge or experience.

If British firms supply a ton this will be a British Ton, (or Long Ton).

The weight of a British Ton is indeed 1016kg to the nearest kilogram.

However, when a tonne, (spelled differently), is supplied by a non-British company the overseas supplier will use a metric tonne as its basis which is 1000kg.

Your correspondent is not comparing like with like and by doing so is using a misrepresentation to support his or her views.

J Slater

Sheffield

Britain