The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23
ALL PUT UP N PACKAGES.
The Modern Way of Selling Grocer
les.

From the New York Tribune.
Those persons whose experience in buy
ing grocery supplies extends back for
half a dozen years will remember that at
that time every article of food sold came
IN bulk. Huge boxes or bins contained
the different kinds of dry groceries," and
from these receDtacles the grocers clerk
was Obliged to scoop out the desired guam
tity, weigh It, throw back the surplus,
ana then put up the purchase in a large,
unWieldly paper bag. These bags had an
unfortunate tendency to break open upon
the way home, and whether the customer
carried his own parcels or had them sent
by the grocer's boy, the result was equal
ly wasteful, not TO mention the confusion
that was wrought In the kitchen when
the leaky package was delivered impair
TALLY both on the table and on the floor.
But a gradual change which began to
take place at about this time, and which
has been steadily going on ever since, has
swept away all the Inconvenience Of the
Old method of selling groceries, and has
worked to the advantage Of both the mer-
chants and their customers. This Is the
practice, now met with to some extent
even in the most remote country villages,
of having the various articles Of food put
up beforehand in sealed and weighed pack
ages.
Oatmeal and the other cereals were
probably the first substances upon which
the new plan was tried, and the form In
which they now come, in pasteboard box
es, has been familiar for several years.
Later, all kinds of dried fruits, apples,
peaches, raisins, currants, ngs, dates, ETC.,
were likewise put up In weighed packages
In the same manner, instead Of being kept,
as formerly, loose in large receptacles.
Tea Is frequently sold now In packages,
though that Is q more recent development,
and has not yet become as common as the
others. Coffee Is also sold IN the same
way. though many people viii not buy II
so for fear that II has lost some Of its
aroma. IT Is quite true that this
loss does take place easily and TO prevent
such deterioration the grocers nave the
packages put up freshly each day from
the alright bin In which the bulk Of the
III is only a question Of time" said a
prominent New York grocer last week,
Hbefore practically everything In our bust
ness will be sold in the package form. IL
saves our men an infinite amount or tTou-
ming and that reason alone would be sur
ficlent to recommend IL TO us. But
more important advantage is that 1t main
talns "A better quality OF each article.
When things are kept in large receptacles,
TO which every one has constant access,
a certain amount Of dirt Is bound TO get
in, Then. most substances i9 .s IA are injured by
at Is also much more convenient Tor
the purchaser TO be able to Keep the arr
ticle In the box in which 1t comes than
as the old way demanded. IL Is sometimes
thought that the value OF the boxes and
food 10 the customer, but this Is not
true in most cases. When II IS, we usual
Is find that people are willing to pay a
trife more for the sake OF getting their
things in better condition"
An advantage TO the makers Of the
goods which, while quite different from
the others, ~ by no means insignificant,
Is the free advertising they get from hav-
ing the aforesaid packages scattered Tar
and wide Throughout the country, Each
one Of course has It's label. giving the
name and address of the manufacturers
In large letters. People learn to ask for
Hsmith's oatmeal or "Joness dried APP
pies" and thus the business OF those
worthy merchants IL increased. IL has
been said that the idea OF selling groce-
ries In packages originated In the necessi-
~ Of shipping them, BY mail and express,
10 the out-of-toWn trade. This seems
probable and u Is no wonder that the
merits OF the plan soon established II In
all departments OF the city business as
well.