SUGAR AND TEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24889, 13 April 1942, Page 2

SUGAR AND TEA

AN ABNORMAL DEMAND CONSUMERS STOCKING UP "There has been a heavier demand for sugar and tea during the past three weeks than in any other period since the war began," said a Dunedin grocer on Saturday when discussing panic buying of commodities which are likelv to be rationed in the near future. "Most of those engaged in the trade have done their utmost to keep unnecessary buying down to a minimum, because their own stocks have been low, but it can be said that fully 80 per cent, of their customers have been well treated in the matter of supplies, and will have some stocks in reserve." It was pointed out that grocers had for some time been operating a rationing system of their own, since, had they not done so. their stocks would have been quickly exhausted. The quantities of sugar and tea supplied to customers had varied according to the stocks held by individual grocers. Tea had been in short supply because" of shipping difficulties, it was stated, and also because there had been delays in distribution on account of a shortage of man-power. Supplies of sugar had been restricted owing to the entry of Japan into the war and only about 60 per cent, of normal requirements had been received by the trade. The grocery trade does not expect to meet serious difficulties in administering the rationing scheme when it is introduced by the Government. More work, it was stated on Saturday, would be entailed in handling the coupons, and the difficulty in this regard would be accentuated by staff shortages. Consumers would assist the trade appreciably if they continued to deal from the same grocers as before. This would facilitate the working of the scheme, and would assist in spreading business evenly. It was emphasised that, although ration books would be issued to the public from to-day, they were not to be used until the scheme was put into operation by a Government order. The grocery trade would require at least a week, and probably a fortnight, before it could 'operate the scheme.