Baker attacks bread prices

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 7

Baker attacks bread prices

The rise in the price of several bakeries’ bread, which took effect in Christchurch last week has been attacked by the owner of the Hot Bread Shop in Sydenham Mr D. W. Cserepanyi. Three big Christchurch bakeries. Stacey and Hawker, Ltd, C. E. Boon, Ltd, and Brooklyn Bakeries. Ltd, have raised the price of all their bread 1c to 4c a loaf. It is the eleventh increase in the price of bread in the last 21 years.

Mr M. Home, manager of Stacey and Hawker, said that all its standard bread, wrapped and unwrapped, would cost 1c more, and that some special lines would rise 2c a loaf. He said the main reason for the increase was the award settlement bakers received! after their recent strike. Similar increases will apply at Brooklyn Bakeries except for its “Week-ender” loaf which will rise 4c. All bread baked by Boon’s will rise 1c a loaf except for its “Sandwich Supreme” (bagged and unsliced) which will not change. Mr Cserepanyi said that he had no intention of increasing the price of his bread: “Certainly not this year and I cannot see us doing it next year.” He said that his ba*ery was the only main one in Christchurch which had had only one price increase in the two years it had been open. “We are the third biggest bakery in Christchurch, employing a staff of 40,” Mr Cserepanyi said. “The recent wage increases have not made that much difference. “Rather than pass on cost increases to the consumer, we have become house tidy, as many businesses in Christchurch have done recently. I am sure other bakeries could io this, too. All they have to do is become more efficient,” he said.