HC Deb 25 February 1947 vol 433 c276W
Sir W. Smithers

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the fact that a large percentage of oranges delivered to retailers recently were bad, whether he will compensate shopkeepers or replace the bad deliveries

Dr. Summerskill

All the oranges we import are classified at the first hand sale into eight categories, according to the percentage of bad fruit in the packages, and wholesalers are permitted to claim reclassification if the condition of the fruit so warrants. The prices charged by the wholesaler to the retailer are correspondingly graduated and claims for compensation or replacement do not, therefore, arise against the Ministry at that stage.