§ 3. Miss Lestorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the growing practice of pre-packaging of food, he will initiate an inquiry into the difficulties experienced by single pensioners in purchasing small quantities of food.
§ Mrs. FennerNo. The food trade is well aware of the need for small packs. I have been encouraged by the response since my right hon. Friend's predecessor wrote to the trade about the matter in March 1971.
§ Miss LestorIs the hon. Lady aware that this varies enormously throughout the country and that in many areas it is almost impossible for a person to buy fewer than six eggs or less than half a pound of butter or half a pound of margarine at a time because of the tendency to pre-pack? Since elderly people in particular are not able to shop around in the way that younger people can, will she please reconsider the point and set up an inquiry to consider this situation?
§ Mrs. FennerI know that a number of grocery supermarkets have already conducted successful experiments with small packs. I hope that this will continue. I share the hon. Lady's interest in this matter and I plan to visit an organisation which has made a speciality of this early in April.