CHRISTMAS SHOPPING —RETAILERS’ DOUBTS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28754, 27 November 1958, Page 13

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING —RETAILERS’ DOUBTS

With 19 shopping days left to Christmas. Christchurch retailers' who look at their shelves, the 1 number of customers in their shops and empty parking spaces | in the central area of the city: have their doubts about a recent forecast by the president of the, New Zealand Manufacturers’: Federation <Mr C. Rex Moore) that retailers would "have the best Christmas ever.” Businessmen are beginning to' feel the effects of the recently-j imposed import controls. They are also experiencing a good deal of consumer resistance to spending, money; and consumers are also finding that with increased taxa-j tion—-both from pay envelopes I and such things as petrol, cigar-, ettes and beer—they do not have the money to spend. Business will still be brisk for' Christmas, retailers are sure, but,

*he busy period is coming much 1 later than usual. Another unusual feature of the retail trade at this time, of the year is the number of sales being I held almost on Christmas Some i are ostensibly to clear shelves of ' unseasonable stock, but also indicate a need to have a better I turnover and money coming in to meet expenditure. Although it is expected that local manufacturers will have begun building up against the lack of imports by next year, they will •not be able to cater for all the lines cut drastically by import restrictions and which New Zealanders have c<»mc to regard as ’almost essentials. i The first major effects of import controls will be a drop in quality and a lack of selection, according |tn importers. The quality will drop on many goods as importers ! attempt to spread more thinly the ' licences allowed them. I There will be a lack of selection i because there are not many New I Zealand industries which can 'make a wide range of any parI ticular line of goods at an eco-

nomic price. ‘‘Living On The Fat” Several importers seen yesterday held out no promise of supply meeting the demand next year. “We are living on the fat; the lean times are to come.” was their attitude. Of imported linos, the attitude in Christchurch was:— Crockery.— lmports have born cut by 70 per cent, on last year. Locally-made crockery, more utilitarian than imported linos, is likely to be short because of heavy ordering since import controls were announced. Clothing.— Basic linos will not be seriously affected. Woollen goods have been cut 25 per cent, on last year, but local mills should be able to take up the demand, although they are behind on deliveries. No women’s dresses are being imported, and manufacturers who rely pn imported models for copying in New Zealand may have to improvise from photographs and patterns. Groceries.— The total value of imported groceries next year will be about 35 per cent, of 1956. The main lines affected are canned fish, down by 37 j per cent, of 1956; dried fruits, 75 per cent.; tinned pineapple. 25 per cent.; other tinned fruit, nothing; rice, sago, tapioca. 75 per cent.