Milford chronicle., 1960-01-08
A and p Board Chairman
Sees Stable Food Prices
In 1860
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approximately 255 new stores.
Many of these, he pointed out, were
designed to serve established
neighborhoods where Ill older
A & P stores were closed during
the same period. Another $50 stores
were remOdeled during the twelve
month period. I'VE anticipate that
our construction program, includ-
ing remOdels, will follow a similar
pattern during the coming year"
he announced. On questions of store
size and Non-Foods, Mr.. Burger
expressed a belief that continued
increases in either of these areas
will Discourage the average
housewife. "One stop shopping for
groceries was a goal that progress
'sive people in the Food Industry
sought for years, and it has become
a handsome reality in recent years
with the evolution of the Modern
Food Super Market that is the
envy of the world, Mr.. Burger
said. "And today's shopping CEN
ters effectively concentrate the
source of almost anything a house
holder buys. But with the improve
ments in home refrigeration and
expansion of kitchen storage space,
the average housewife today shops
for food supplies that will feed her
family from three to seven days
and heretofore is inclined to pre-
fer separate shopping expeditions
for her food needs and Non-Food
shopping seems here to stay, the
idea of buying everything under
one ceiling appears nearing the end
of its short life". Giveaway schemes
have about Run their course" in
Mr.. Burgers opinion, Because
the consuming public realizes
there is no Pie In The Sky and
the expense of such promotions
ultimately must be added to the
cost of doing business.
In reviewing the past decade,
Mr.. Burger noted the sharp rise
in demand for Convenience"
Foods, including a revolution in
frozen items and ready mixes as
well as giant strides in the de-
velopment of pre-packaged mer-
chandise, particularly in Meats
and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
Increased demand for Built In
Maid Service has been in almost
direct proportion to the increase
in take home pay of the average
family, he noted, land with the
prospects bright for a continuation
OF personal income increases. there
is every reason to believe that con-
venience foods will command more
and more shelf space" The biggest
news for consumers during the
past year, the A & P official said
was the marked decrease in Food
Prices at time when the over
all cost of living index was reach
Ing an all time high along with
record personal income. Mr.. Bur-
ger attributed much of the Food
Price index dip to lower retail
prices for coffee, meat, poultry and
fresh produce. Coffee prices drop
ped about 20 per cent during 1859
and currently are only about half
OF the all time high prices of June
1854.
Another milestone in the de-
Velopment of the Industry, ac-
cording to Mr.. Burger, is retailing's
evolution in the field of human
relations. Retailing, particularly
food retailing, has emerged as a
promising career for intelligent
and ambitious young people, Mr..
Burger said. Even in the absence
OF Governmental pressures, the in
dustry has pnrged itself of long
hours and low pay scales, and to-
day offers more incentives than
many other fields of employment"
AS A & P starts it's second CEN
tury OF catering to the food needs
OF the American consumer. it was
founded in 1859, Mr.. Burger pledg-
ed a continuation of the company's
100 year old policy of placing top
quality and low prices above all
other considerations 81 firmly be-
lieve that we have an obligation
to our customers to make avail
able to them the best possible
quality at the lowest possible price
and to strive constantly to achieve
economies of distribution that will
result in better foods for less
money. he said.