OYSTER AUCTION PRICES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30100, 6 April 1963, Page 13

OYSTER AUCTION PRICES

Profit Margins Of Retailers Retailers had an easy and lucrative profit from oysters, said the managing director of P Feron and Son. Ltd (Mr M. L Newman) yesterday Retailers have been dissatisfied this season with their smaller profits and the alleged low numbers of oysters in a sack Mr Newman said that a sack of oysters opened yesterday gave a count of 77 dozen able to be sold. The sack was sold for £5 3s. which was a cost to the retailer of Is 4d a dozen As most retailers were selling oysters at 3s a dozen yesterday a profit of £6 8s was shown in this particular sack “The retailers feel that fair competition tor oysters may reduce their easy and lucrative profit,” said Mr Newman Retailers yesterday did not dispute the claim of 77 dozen in a sack, but said they ►’ad had definite counts of 67 dozen. 62 dozen and fewer m the last two weeks They claimed that, taking into account the few oysters they had been able to handle in 'he last few seasons and the overload of shop costs throughout each season, the “easy and lucrative profit" was greatly diminished Prices dropped considerably st yesterday’s auction They ranged from £4 12s to £5 18s a sack, compared with Wednesday’s range of £7 5s to £7 16s.

Fifty-nine sacks will be auctioned today, and prices are expected to fall again.