COST OF GROCERIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24297, 14 May 1940, Page 6

COST OF GROCERIES

LOWER PRICES IN DUNEDIN COMPARISON WITH CAPITAL STATISTICS QUESTIONED * In a survey of the retail prices for the three major food groups for February last, the Abstract of Statistics showed that Dunedin was considerably the dearest of the four centres for groceries. That such a position does not exist is the opinion of the manager of one large grocery firm who, to prove that groceries were not too highly priced locally, forwarded a list of over 50 items to a Wellington firm in order to obtain a comparison with the prices ruling in the capital. The result of the comparison shows that in these items Dunedin is decidedly the cheaper place in which to live. In the Abstract of Statistics Dunedin was placed at the head of the list with the retail-price index of 1064. Auckland followed with 1032, then came Christchurch with 1012. and Wellington was the cheapest with 1010. A Price Comparison The comparison of prices made between the Wellington and Dunedin firms is a fair one. as both conduct their business on similar lines. Yet the Dunedin price? in the majority of cases are slightly lower than those ruling in the capital city. Dunedin grocers are wondering how the index figures for the city could have been compiled. The southern city has long been regarded as the cheapest centre in which to live, but the official statistics would by no means support such a suggestion. The following is the Dunedin price list fox many ordinary household lines, with the Wellington prices given in parentheses:—lib loose salt. Id (lid); lib pottle of honey. Is (Is 2d); 21b pottle honey. Is Hd (2s Id); tin baked beans. 9£d (lOJd); lib, loose cocoa. Is (Is Id); lib cheapest tea. 2 S 8d (2s. lOd); lib sugar, 4d (4d cash and carry and 4Jd delivered): lib icing sugar. sjd (6d); 41b oatmeal, is Id (331 b for is); 51b flour. Is (Is); lib Siam rice, 3£d (4d); lib loose cornflour. 6d (7d); lib sago. 4d (4d); lib loose starch, 9d (lOd): tin Brasso. 10d (lid); lib bacon. Is 6d (Is 6d); lib mild cheese, lid (is); Jib packet wine biscuits. 6d (7d); large tin Highlander milk. 9|d (lOd); small tin Nestle's cream. 4Jd (sd). Tinned Goods Cheaper Tinned goods of all descriptions also appear in most cases to be cheaper in Dunedin than in the capital city. The following are the prices ruling in Dunedin, compared with those in Welling-, ton. which are again shown in parentheses: —Small tin sardines, 3d (3Jd); Maconochie's herrings and tomato sauce. 8d and Is 2d (10d and Is 3Jd); tin fresh herrings. Is Id (Is'2d); fancy pink salmon. Is. 5d (Is 6d); tin sockeye salmon, 2s 5d (2s 3d); tin asparagus tips. Is 4d (Is 7d); tin Australian fruit salad. Is 8d (Is 9d); Singapore pineapple, Is (Is 0£d); small tin pineapple./ BJd (9d); standard peaches. Is 4d (Is 4d); pears, Is 3d (Is 4d); apricots. Is 4d (Is 6d); sheep's tongues. Is 5d (Is 6d); and tin of peas, Is Id (Is 2d). Other everyday lines are priced as follows:—lib haricot beans, 3d (3Jd); lib pearl barley t 3Jd (4d); lib raspberry jam, Is id (Is Id); lib strawberry jam. is 2d (Is 3d); packet vermicelli. 9d (84d); Hb cream of tartar, 7d (7d); Jib carbonate of soda, 2d (2d); lib stoned dates, 6d (6£d); tin caustic soda, IOJd (lid); lib desiccated coconut, lid (Is); lib sultanas, 7£d (8d); lib currants. 7d (7|d); 1 packet seeded raisins. 7Jd (9d). It will be seen from this comparison of prices that it is much cheaper, to shop in Dunedin than in Wellington, and vet in the Abstract of Statistics the capital city is 54 points lower than Dunedin. Local grocers are wondering how the statistics are compiled.