Riccarton Mall Is Major Move

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 13

Riccarton Mall Is Major Move

[By Our Grocery Reporter.) The opening this week of the Riccarton shopping mall is of great interest to the grocery trade.

This iff the first all-weather shopping mall of any size in . New Zealand and a big feature is that is has two supermarkets. Nearby grocers and other retailers will watch this new i way of shopping life with great interest. Saturation Point During the last 12 months many supermarkets have been opened in Christchurch and saturation point must be near. Riccarton and Hornby has a number of supermarkets and ait least two more are to be built in these districts. There is a trend to shopping by car and while this lasts it is the day of the supermarket. Meantime, the shopping public will be treated to cheap groceries by way of keen specials. Margcrina Prlc.s Rls®.—Last February, makers of margarine, shortening and other cooking fats had to increase their prices because of the high cost of raw materials. It was hoped that these high costs would fall later but prices for raw materials have risen still further. Edible fats have been short in Eastern markets and this has forced prices up. The recent increase -n cooking fats is about id per lb. Lentils. —Recent quotations for lentils show that the price has firmed and old season’s stocks are now running low, according to overseas reports. M merchants need stocks for the winter, shipment should be made not later than February. The new season’s lentil crop is not harvested until June and this of course Is too late for the New Zealand winter season.

Aust. Dried Apricots.—Australian stocks of dried apricots are beginning to dwindle and many of the popular grades are not available. Several weeks ago a list of grades not available was issued and now a further grade has been withdrawn. This is standard large, the nearest grade available to this being choice large. Australian apricots are the most popular seller on the New Zealand market and a shortage could possibly occur here after a glut 12 months ago.

Californian Raisins. Some Californian packers are introducing a 12oz cellophane bag of

golden bleached reisim. These should retail about 2s 3d a bag. These raisins are seedless and pal® gold In colour. ■ggs.— Last month, egg prices fell because of a New Zealand surplus and are now perhaps the lowest prices for some years—a note we made last week. It Is also interesting to note that there has been no violent increase in the sale of preserving liquids or pastes. Many years ago preserving of eggs by bousewlves was common, but not so today. Canadian Salmen.—The position with Canadian salmon has worsened and now most importers cannot buy pink—the most popular type—in any size and only sm'aM quantities of cohoe and sockeye are available. There is little pink salmon offering from the Japanese market. Business Personal Mr P. C. B. Bayliss, manager of the Papanui branch of the Commercial Bank of Australia, will attend the senior training course at the bank’s staff training college in Melbourne. Mr D. Smith, of Brisbane, has been appointed sales manager of the carrier air conditioning division of Fletcher Mechanical Services. He will be stationed at Penrose.