§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what study he has made of the survey into the price of food published on 28th January last, details of which have been sent to him; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeartThis survey is one of a number of similar "shopping basket" surveys appearing in the press. I was interested to see that the survey indicated that during December and January, there had been little or no increase in the total retail price of the goods covered, and that this was in fact lower than in May, 1967. I agree with the conclusions that80W competition in the retail food trade helps to keep prices down and that consumers can help by careful shopping.
Such Press surveys, if soundly based, can do much to help inform the consumer of prices actually being charged in shops. Nevertheless, the results must always be treated with care, since inevitably they must be based on a selective list of goods bought in a limited number of shops. The most comprehensive "shopping basket" for foodstuffs is the food component of the Ministry of Labour's Retail Prices Index, which is calculated from over 100,000 food prices each month.