§ 4. Miss Burtonasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the refusal of many shops selling food items to exhibit price tickets, which results in a wide range of prices for the same items being demanded of consumers; and if he will, therefore, take powers by regulation to compel such shops to exhibit price tickets.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeCompetition, which is a better spur than regulation, is now prompting many more food shops to put price tickets on the goods they have to sell.
§ Miss BurtonIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that in a good many fruit and vegetable shops there are no price tickets, and that prices vary according to the type of customer who goes into the shop? Ought not these goods to be ticketed?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe hon. Lady will appreciate that there is a vast range of goods, and the question of expense to the small retailers in ticketing these goods is quite serious. As a matter of fact, in January, when we made an appeal to the meat trade for more ticketing, only 29 per cent. of shops in England and Wales had price tickets, and now the figure has risen to 45 per cent. Therefore, I think that persuasion is having just as good an effect as compulsion would have.
§ Miss BurtonWould the Minister say that the Government are favourable to the display of tickets? Is he aware that I am complaining, for example, about a head of lettuce for which, first of all, 8d. was asked and then the price came down to 6d.? It is not a question of different prices for different goods; it is what the shopkeeper thinks he can get out of the customers.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIt is, of course, the policy of the Government that tickets should be displayed, and I myself have made an appeal. On the question of getting a lettuce for 6d., I am glad to hear that this is possible. I think the housewife herself can do a great deal in this matter.