BUTTER SALES IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24603, 27 June 1945, Page 5

BUTTER SALES IN BRITAIN

COMPETITION FROM MARGARINE

CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 26. “Provided New Zealand takes her share of British manufactured goods it seems safe to expect a ready and profitable market for all the dairy produce New' Zealand can produce,” said the London manager of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand. Ltd., •Mr T. Maxwell, addressing the national dairy conference. “The consumer demand definitely exists," he said. “There is adequate purchasing power available, but there must be balanced reciprocal trade, otherwise the market for New Zealand produce may be prejudiced. The need to buy British goods had become far more important than the old idea of doing a good turn to the Old Country, he continued. It had become a vital need for the New Zealand producer, for every £ spent with Britain helped to provide a market for New Zealand produce. The people of New Zealand should make “buy British goods first and most” an active principle in their commercial life. The problem of margarine, he said, was more evident, owing to efforts now being made by margarine manufacturers to maintain, and if possible improve, the sales position they enjoyed during the war. The average sales of margarine a head went up from 2 770z a week before the war to 5.200z a week during 1943. During the same period the sales of butter fell from the pre-war average of 7.630z a week to 2.340z in 1943. The change in consumption shown by these figures could not in any way be taken to reflect consumer preference. They were the result of rationing. Pre-war consumption figures reflected the strong preference for butter which then existed, and which, he believed, still 6XI .Pr; “By maintaining the highest possible quality, by efficient marketing and judicious advertising, I feel confident butter will be more than able to hold its own with margarine," he said.