HC Deb 20 December 1974 vol 883 cc710-1W
Mr. Mike Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether she will outline the current nature of her voluntary agreement with retailers on the pricing of products important in the retirement pensioner's budget, the nature of the products and her current estimate of the effect on the retail price index as it affects retirement pensioners.

Mr. Maclennan

The objective of the voluntary agreement is to make available, at prices lower than would otherwise have been possible, a number of items of basic foods and other household necessities of particular importance in the budget of lower income families, including pensioners. Lists of the items included in the agreement are given below. Items on the lists have in total increased in price between May and November appreciably less—3.8 per cent.—than the General Index of Retail Prices—7.1 per cent.

ITEMS RETAILERS HAVE ON CONTINUOUS OFFER

Bread: Standard 14oz. and 28oz. white and

brown wrapped.

Cheese: A low-priced hard cheese.

Butter: Blended or other low-priced butter.

Baby milk: Powdered.

Flour: White self-raising and plain, all brands.

Apples, Bananas, Oranges: One line.

Potatoes (main crop) or one basic vegetable.

Beef: One cut.

Lamb (one cut) or one weight range or chicken (up to 4 lbs.) or chicken portions.

Biscuits: One line of sweet, lower priced.

Electric bulbs: One standard line.

Matches: One line.

Toilet soap: One line.

Toothpaste and denture powder: Popular size, one line.

ITEMS ON WHICH MANUFACTURERS ARE CONCENTRATING PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY

Sausages (standard lines).

Cooking oil, cooking fat and lard.

Margarine.

Tea (cheaper lines).

Breakfast cereals (standard lines).

Fish fingers.

Frozen vegetables.

Instant coffee.

Baby/infant foods (packets, tins and jars).

Baked beans.

Soups (canned).