| In July 1999 the National Conference on Weights and Measures adopted the following change to the Uniform Method of Sale of Commodities Regulation in National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, Uniform Laws and Regulations. The model laws and regulations in Handbook 130 do not become mandatory unless the States adopt them. The change to the method of sale of carpet was made at the request of the Carpet and Rug Institute, which is the trade association representing that industry. The change will go into effect on January 1, 2000, in the States of Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia, which automatically adopt the changes to the Method of Sale Regulation on an annual basis. The requirement will not go into effect in the other States until they amend their regulations on method of sale, which could take several years. The industry contact is Ron VanGelderen, Carpet and Rug Institute, 310 Holiday Drive, Dalton, Georgia 30720. 706-278-3176
Excerpt from the Final Report of the 84th National Conference on Weights and Measures
232-4 V Section 2.11. Carpet
(This Item Was Adopted)
Source: The Southern and Western Weights and Measures Associations
Background: According to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), carpet retailers advertise their products based on the price per square foot. Section 2.11 of the Method of Sale of Commodities Regulation states that carpet shall be priced per square yard. The CRI says that consumers are more comfortable dealing with room sizes based on square feet, and other floor coverings are advertised and sold in units of square feet. The CRI believes that the change will reflect consumers’ desires and put carpet on a comparable basis with other floor coverings.
Committee Recommendation: Change Section 2.11 (e) to read as follows:
(e) The price per square meter if sold in SI units, or the price per square yard foot if sold in inch-pound units, and the total price.
In addition to changing the method of sale to the price per square foot as stated above, the Committee changed the title of Section 2.11 to "Carpet" to replace "Carpeting." For additional information you may also contact:
Tom Coleman
Weights and Measures Coordinator
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Weights and Measures Division
100 Bureau Drive Stop2600
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-2600
Telephone: (301) 975-4868
Fax: (301) 975-8091
Email: t.coleman@nist.gov
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