Bakers Expect Higher Prices For Bread Soon

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1947, Page 6

Bakers Expect Higher Prices For Bread Soon

(Special) AUCKLAND, This Day. NEWS of higher bread prices is expected within the next fortnight.

Waking a statement to this effect last night, the president of the Auckland Master Bakers’ Association (Mr A. E. Brownlie) said it was impossible for bread manufacturers, even on zoned deliveries, to continue without loss for the next 12 months unless an immediate adjustment in the price of bread was made to cover the many increases in costs.

“The shop price of bread has not been altered since 1936 and no subsidy is received by the bread manufacturer to enable him to cope with increased costs,” added Mr Brownlie. The subsidy to the wheatgrower had had the effect of keeping the price of flour to the baker relatively stable, but that was only one unit in a long list of items in the manufactured cost of bread.

I The trade has submitted a large ntim- ! ber of balance-sheets to the Price Tribunal. WRAPPING DIFFICULTIES The difficulties experienced by bakers in meeting the regulations requiring the wrapping of bread, were explained by Mr Brownlie. He said the bulk of the wrapping would have to be done by machinery and it would take 18 months before the bakeries in the Dominion could be equipped for this. Wax paper imported from America would be necessary. The total amount required for the Dominion would be between 800 and 900 tons annually and the additional costs for wrapping would be about id per loaf. The trade had no desire to evade its responsibilities, and if the price of bread was adjusted to cover the cost of complying, with the regulations every effort would be made to do so as and when machinery, waxed paper and labour were available.

The Minister had been acquainted with the position and the impossibility of complying with the regulations by their commencing date had been acknowledged by Miss Howard. The present application for increased prices is based on extra costs that have already occurred.