"PRICE-CUTTING" WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18317, 6 February 1923, Page 7

"PRICE-CUTTING " WAR.

OHRISTCHURCH GROCERS. TOO MANY IN THE TRADE. [BY. TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] : :• .: CHKISTCHURCH. Monday. ; During the - past few : days . there; has been a fresh outbreak of 'price-cutting " in the retail grocery trade, due ito the keen competition between the leading firms and, ;as a result, < a. number of -lines are now being sold at much "lower-; prices than would otherwise be the case".' Dried fruita, almonds, household soap and other important lines have been selected for the first" batch : of reductions, iand the public will ; be able; to ':> reap ,an advantage; which actually they are not i entitled to : receive. • - , .'V..;-. 'Vv;.''' ' .'■■ I '. ; S Two of. the principal brands' of household soap -which formerly had , been retailed at a'small margin of profit hav« been reduced by ! :a;penny a bar, but the greatest proportionate reduction ; has been made in ' the price of. almonds, ; j which have been "cut" from 2s to is 6d ; per lb. Another effect of the prico-cutting has been the keeping of the : , price of bacon down to its former level' in . 'the face , of a wholesale advance of Id -per: lb. : all round. Best rashers are still selling at Is, 3d per lb., instead of Is 4d,, which .would be the • price :if ■ there was no?", cutting." ~ How long the "latest outbreak ; will ' last is = not • easy to forecast. ; Last; year - the retail grocers formed an * association with the v object of overcoming • their <; differ- , ences and. fixing standard ; pieces,-v but the. movement ? has t not producer [U the -desired f result. '■ In the v opinion of • some <grocers there art too many of them in tha busi» ness, and soma will' have to ]>• eliminated*