The record-union., 1897-02-09
PUT UP IN PACKAGES.
The Modern Way of Selling Ali Kinds
of Groceries.

lnOSe persons whose experience AL
buying 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 receptacies
the grocer's clerk was obliged to scoop
out the desired quantity, weigh it, throw
back the surplus, and then put up the
purchase in a large, unWieidy paper bag.
These bags had an unfortunate ten
dency 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 equally
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 ana
which has been steadily going on ever
since, has swept away all the incon-
veniences of the old method Of selling
groceries, and has worked to the ad-
vantage of both the merchants and their
customers This is the practice, no"'
met with to some extent even in the
itfQSI IeitlOLt EOuIlbiS NllicSCo- VI ia AiA0
the various articles of food put up be
forehand in sealed and weighed pack
kages.
Oatmeal and the other cereals We're
probably the first substances upon
which the new plan was tried, and the
| form in which they now come, in paste
| board boxes, has been familiar for sew
eraI years. Later, all kinds of dried
| fruits, apples, peaches. raisins, currants,
! figs. dates, etc, were likewise put up in
weighed packages in the same manner
| instead OF being kept, as formerly, loose
| ir large receptacles Tea is frequently
sold now in packages, though that is a
more recent development, and has not
! yet become as common as the others
Coffee is also sold in the same way
| though many people will not buy it So
| for fear that it has lost some Of its
aroma 1t is quite true that this loss
| does take place easily. and to prevent
such deterioration the grocers have the
/ packages put up freshly each day from
! the alright bin in which the bulk of the
coffee is kept
! 1T is only question Of time said a
prominent New Yorker grocer last
week. before practically everything in
cur business will be sold in the pack
age form. It saves our men an in
finite amount Of trouble in dipping out.
weighing and wrapping, and that rea-
son alone would be sufficient to rec
ommend ii to US. But more import
ant advantage Is that it maintains 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 are injured
by being SO much exposed to the air.
1T is also much more convenient for
the purchaser to be able to keep. the
article in the box in which it comes
than to have to provide one for 1t at
home, as the old way demanded. 1t is
sometimes thought that the value Of
the boxes and packages must increase
the cost Of the food to the customer,
but this is not true, in most cases.
When it :. we usually find that people
are willing to pay a trifie more for the
sake Of getting their things in better
condition"
An advantage to the makers Of the
cC DDS. which, while quite different from
the others. is by no means insignificant
is the free advertising they get from
having the aforesaid packages scat
tered far and wide throughout the
country Each one. of course, has its
label. giving the name and address OF
the manufacturers in large letters. Peo-
pie learn To- ask for Smiths Oatmeal
or Jones Dried Apples" and thus the
business Of those worthy merchants is
Increased. 1t has been said that tn:
idea of selling groceries in packages
originated in the necessity of shipping
them by mail and express, to the out
of-town trade. This seems probable
and 1t is no wonder that the merits OF
the plan soon established it in all de-
partments of the city business as
WELL