NEW ZEALAND APPLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19325, 2 June 1925, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND APPLES

ADVERTISING IN THE “UNDERGROUND.” HIGH RETAIL PRICES LONDON. April 21. Travellers by the Underground Railway during the last week could not help noticing the excellent posters in all the important stations advertising New Zealand apples. The design of the pos ter io simple, but not the less attractive. It consists merely of an exceedingly rosy apple with, the inscription. “New Zealand apples; the standard of cxcellense.'* ’ The splash of colour. however, stands out amongst the other advertisements. A very line display of fruit is shown at the Nation's Food Exhibition at Olympia. This is a combined appeal to the people to eat more fruit, and it is supported by all fruit traders except New Zealand. Now. although Mr T. VV. Atwood is doing his own advertising for the Dominion, the advertising Jirm which has undertaken the display of fruit at the Exhibition has included several boxes of New Zealand apples in the group. This surely speaks well for the qualify of the New Zealand fruit. It appears that rather than leave the Dominion apples out of the display the firm in question is ready to give them a J'rec advertisement. A COMPLAINT li Splendid apples grown within the Empire should be available at more shops and at lower prices,” says the Daily Telegraph. ”Quantities are coming to London from Australia (including Tasinuui<a). New Zealand, South. Africa, and Canada-, hut retail rates are far too high to appeal to the majority of consumers. Even in the West End it appears to be beyond reason to price the smallest Con’s Orange Pippins at 3d each. The finest New Zealand Cox’s have been sold at Covent Garden at the rate of Is per lb. and those marked at 3d etach would have cost less. Evon if the wholesale price was 'ls the profit would be too much. Counting eight of these small apples to the pound, the price would be doubled between the wholesaler and the public. The best Australian Cox’s have been sold at Covent Garden at less than lid per lb., and good Ribston Pippins at less than 5d per lb. but they are not obtainable in some districts at all. and in others at prohibitive price?. One effect of high prices is slow sale and ultimate marking down when Ihe apples have become more or les? stale, or at least are in a condition which does not induce the consumer to believe the praise bestowed upon them by experts, who irinke their inspections while the fruit, is fresh. There is a marked tendency towards lower whois esale prices ail round for Australian and New Zealand apples.

“If one takes an apple from a case fresh from New Zealand it is difficult to credit the journey it has had. It breaks ami eats like one just plucked from the tree. Enormous expense and care have resulted in fruit from the most distant parts of the Empire being landed perfectly fresh and crisp and of perfect flavour, and it is unfair to the growers and others concerned if its distribution to the public, is delayed with a view to securing an unreasonable profit, until it has depreciated in quality. It would be unfair to give the impression that all retailers are making extravagant charges for Empire apples, but a good many are. and the purchaser should carefullv consider prices and qualities at different establishments, favouring the retailer who plainly marks his goods with not only the price, but also the source of origin. M ith the exception of American apples, all now on sale arc Empire-grown including some of the finest-kejit English culinary varieties ever seen at "’this period of the year.