GROCERY NOTES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27907, 2 March 1956, Page 15

GROCERY NOTES

STOCK REDUCTIONS LIKELY IN MARCH February, according to many reports. has been a good one in the grocery trade and equal to the same month of last year. With the arrival of March, most retailers and wholesalers start to prepare’ for the annual balance and stocktaking. In both sections. the trade endeavours to keep buying down until the stocktaking has been • completed. Heavy orders are generally placed for April delivery. Overseas markets are reasonably steady at the present and such winter lines as tapioca and rice have showed little variation. Imported ■ stocks are still arriving steadily and such lines as English jam are being taken up quickly. Other goods arriving include salt, meat extracts, fish, fish pastes, and cornflour. Green Peas.—Good crops and packs have been reported from most districts and at the present time the trade is faced with many brands at different prices. One North Island canner has maintained a higher price, while an Otago packer has reduced prices to fall in line with those of a South Island competitor. Today canned peas are feeling serious competition from frozen ones, and there has been a noticeable trend towards these.- However, one of the major packs of frozen .peas will in future retail at 3d higher for the standard pack and 2d higher for the small pack. This increase may prove to be large enough to reduce sales, particularly if canned peas remain as they are. Bath Cleanser Price Advances.—A North Island manufacturer who packs a wellknown brand of bath cleansers has increased the price of his product, to offset rising costs, to 2s a tin. Lemon Juice. —A North Island manufacturer is introducing to Christchurch a lemon juice which has proved popular in Auckland. This juice will retail at 2s Jd for a 10-ounce bottle. A similar product was available some time ago, and was packed in Christchurch, but the sale for this has dwindled. Dates.—Bulk and packet dates are still m short supply, but definite advice has come to hand that the new season’s crop which is being transhipped in Australia month rnVe ° n the Waimea during this ia^ re^I Vin f R ? ars —Information from the J a "L manufacturers in Auckland is that they will now be able to supply further of qu 3ll Preserving jars 1 ,b . tle-over jars. These will frrive here within the next three weeks.