GROCERY NOTES

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28158, 22 December 1956, Page 14

GROCERY NOTES

BUSIEST WEEK OF YEAR IN SHOPS (By Our Grocery Correspondent) A record day’s business on Monday —Christmas Eve—is expected by many grocers. Although the tempo of trade has stepped up considerably this week, they can each name a certain number of their customers who have not yet bought their Christmas provisions, and they expect others of their customers to return on Monday for something they forgot this week. Although retailers have been much busier this week than last week, activity at the wholesale level is perhaps reduced. This is only to be expected, for the prudent grocer will have built up his stocks last week to enable him to concentrate this week on serving his customers. Most of the orders received this week by wholesalers nave been small ones, necessitated perhaps by an unexpectedly large demand for one commodity or another. The range of Christmas specialties available this year has been perhaps the best ever, and if a store is unable to provide a specified brand of some seasonal line a fairly close substitute is often available. Dessert nut packs, for instance, which have had a good sale, have offered the customer a wide variety. A tempting array of Continental foods has given an exotic touch to many grocers’ shelves. Year’s Trading Reviewed As these will be the last notes published this year, it seems appropriate to review briefly the year’s trading. Business has been generally good, though there have been occasional quiet periods, notably around the time the Budget was presented. Prices still tend to increase, both for locally-produced and imported goods. Some of the . increases were attributable to crop shortages, and the usual fluctuations in tea and coconut markets occurred. Overseas prices generally have firmed since the Suez crisis and the increases in shipping freights. Higher costs have forced manufacturers of some New Zealand-made goods to raise their prices and as the effects of the general wage order spread through the economy further increases are likely. In an increasingly competitive field, however, the manufacturer is not always able to pass on increased costs without affecting the sale of his product. The credit squeeze has not affected imports to a great extent, though it is noticeable that surplus stock lists, which were fairly common in 1955, have virtually disappeared this year. Green Peas.—The position about new season’s green peas is now clearer than it was two weeks ago. A Nelson cannery has now announced its prices, which show a substantial increase on last season, and are in line with the Hastings pack. A large proportion of the peas for this market comes from Nelson. This year’s Nelson peas are reported to be good, though the crop was light. With Auckland packs short the stock position could be very difficult in nine months’ time. ' Dutch Cheese-filled Biscuits.—An attractive pack of Dutch cheese-filled biscuits las recently been imported into New Zealand and is proving very popular. The biscuits are filled with Gouda cheese, which is widely used overseas. These biscuits are very attractively packed in both tins and packets. Eath Cleaner.—A cleansing paste which is well known throughout New Zealand and is packed in Christchurch will retail at a higher price, because of increased costs. The new price is 2s 3d a tin. This increase has been followed by an increase in the price of a North Island product, which will retail at the same price.

Dried Apricots.—There is an acute shortage of Australian dried apricots on this market. . The future supplies of the new seasori’s crop will not be good, according to the latest crop reports from this area. However, buyers are now buying on the South African market, which has supplied New Zealand before. Prices being quoted are higher than previously and already other countries have placed heavy orders.