Cigarette Prices

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32099, 22 September 1969, Page 14

Cigarette Prices

Sir,—Last Saturday I attended the New Brighton Trotting Club’s spring meeting at Addington Raceway, and during the evening had occasion to buy » packet of cigarettes. These were apparently in short supply on the course, and it was only after several vain inquiries that I was able to discover the pie booth at which some were for sale. The price demanded of an otherwise retailed 34c pack was 36c. 1 can accept the justification of a seven-ounce glass of beer there costing 10c (9c in the city) In terms of special one-night stocking, cleaning, and washing up. but to provide such prepacked and ready-to-sell commodities as cigarettes with an extra 2c mark-up requires “organisation” that is negligible in comparison. Retailers everywhere have their overheads to consider and such booths at Addington cannot differ in this aspect Exploitation of this nature requires no further enlargement—Yours, etc., K. W. RAINEY. September 8. 1969.

[The Trade Practices and Prices Division of the Industries and Commerce Department replies: “The company which catered for this meeting has had a special approval from the Price Tribunal since 1958 to sell cigarettes at an increased price at race meetings and agricultural shows. The premium was originally Id for 10 and became 1 cent after the change to decimal currency. The additional 2 cents charged on a packet of 20 cigarettes was, therefore, authorised."]