South Africa’s Bread

Press, Volume C, Issue 29466, 18 March 1961, Page 7

South Africa’s Bread

PRETORIA. Bakers are finding a surprising amount of sales resistance by the public to the extra penny on a loaf, says the “South African Bakery Review,” in a recent issue. Why this should be is hard to understand as when times are bad (and we are led to believe these are difficult times) then the sales of bread should go up because, after all, bread is a staple commodity and the lower income groups in this country make up the biggest outlet for bread. “Pity the poor baker,” the “Review” says. “Costs are up, wages are up, few apprentices are interested in coming into the industry and now the health authorities are on his tail and public opinion is being whipped up with the daily press articles asking: ‘Why isn’t it possible to have wrapped bread in the country?’ “If the customers object so strongly to paying an extra penny on a loaf, we shudder to think what would happen to sales if wrapping had to be added to the cost. Perhaps a lesson can be taken from a large bakery in Johannesburg which is selling (and selling extremely well) a dozen unbaked rolls in a smart package with instruction to *bake ’em yourself.”