I always thought it was because 440ml is a round number when you convert it from metric to medieval units (not a pint though, which is 568ml), but a quick google shows me there’s another reason:
One reason for the popularity of the 440ml size is its convenience for calculating alcohol units. A 440ml can at 4.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) equates to exactly 2 units of alcohol, making it easier for consumers to track their alcohol consumption
I guess it translates to one of those units used in the US and UK, that you divide by twentyeleven, then multiply by two large fries, and you get the result in football (which is actually hand-egg ball) fields.
The UK measures alcohol in units to track total amount consumption, as it’s not easy to track with percentage in volume. A unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol, and cans/bottles/etc have the total units printed. That way it’s supposed to be easier to track how much alcohol you drink e.g. if you drink a beer, then a wine - now that’s 4 units.
I’m not British so I’m not used to units, but at least that’s the theory.
A non-standardized amount of grams of alcohol in a standard drink.
Each country have their own definitions, usually between 8-14g somewhere, and then each country use that to create their own health rules of how many standard units of alcohol can be part of a healthy nutrition guidelines / low-risk consumption guidelines.
I always thought it was because 440ml is a round number when you convert it from metric to medieval units (not a pint though, which is 568ml), but a quick google shows me there’s another reason:
Nice sleuthing, I was just checking it against non metric volumes and closest is a US pint (437.1…ml).
We all (maybe) learned something new today.
I guess it translates to one of those units used in the US and UK, that you divide by twentyeleven, then multiply by two large fries, and you get the result in football (which is actually hand-egg ball) fields.
2 units of alcohol?
What is a unit of alcohol?
The UK measures alcohol in units to track total amount consumption, as it’s not easy to track with percentage in volume. A unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol, and cans/bottles/etc have the total units printed. That way it’s supposed to be easier to track how much alcohol you drink e.g. if you drink a beer, then a wine - now that’s 4 units.
I’m not British so I’m not used to units, but at least that’s the theory.
A non-standardized amount of grams of alcohol in a standard drink.
Each country have their own definitions, usually between 8-14g somewhere, and then each country use that to create their own health rules of how many standard units of alcohol can be part of a healthy nutrition guidelines / low-risk consumption guidelines.
https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/health-promotion-knowledge-gateway/national-low-risk-drinking-recommendations-drinking-guidelines_en
It’s a simplified version of ABV that the UK invented to easier track alcohol consumption