Consuming Interest

Except the General Public

By LESLIE ADRIAN

lHAVE been in correspondence with Schweppes over the problem of mineral water, conserva- tion of : their first argument being : It is important that the drink, when poured out, should have the correct amount of carbona- tion, if it is to be at its best. Once a bottle is opened and part of it is used, a considerable amount of carbon dioxide is released. The right amount of effervescence in a high-quality Mineral Water contributes substantially to the whole balance of the drink. In our opinion, no re-sealing bottle top can stop further loss of carbon dioxide and thus, when the residue is poured out, it will not be in perfect condition.

This sounded reasonable to me; but it led promptly to a fresh train of thought. Why not (1 wrote back) syphons? In the old days at school we used to get ginger ale in syphons; why should the customer not be able to buy his tonic water in the same way?

According to Schweppes, there are two main reasons : One is that syphons are so very expensive that it is almost impossible to trade at a profit when using them. We have to have soda water syphons, since it is traditional.

The second reason is that syphons are not really efficient. The carbonation of the liquid delivered into the glass varies, according to the temperature and we should not like our Tonic Water to be consumed in anything other than perfect condition.

Now, as this controversy originally arose from an attempt I made to defend Schweppes—against what appeared to me to be an attempt by one brewer, who controls a chain of pubs, to get us to drink a rival brand of tonic water whether we liked it or not—I hope I will not be thought unfair to Schweppes if I suggest that their first argument is specious. Naturally syphons are ex- pensive; but many of us would be prepared to pay more for the hire of them if we could get them. But we are finding it increasingly difficult to get them. My wine merchant, the other day, told me I could have no Tore; and, increasingly often, pubs say they cannot get them.

As for the phrase 'we have to have [them], since it is traditional,' it has to me a vaguely sinister sound. It is much the same argument as I have heard a rival firm use against Schweppes tonic water : 'You only think you like it, old boy, because you're used to it. But if you got used to our stuff, you wouldn't mind if you never had Schweppes again.' True : what the mind doesn't know the palate doesn't hanker after; but this is hardly an argument I would have expected Schweppes to use. The fact is that we customers want syphons because they are relatively cheap and relatively convenient—much cheaper and more convenient than baby bottles; and I hope we do not allow the syphon to disappear by our default.

The second reason is more sensible : I can see that there would be objections to leaving tonic- water syphons on the bar where soda-water syphons now stand. But I cannot see why one should not be able to buy tonic-water syphons for home consumption. Any firm making them can then display instructions about the best tem- perature at which to keep them on the label; and if the customer disobeys them, it will be his own loss.

And now—just as I thought we were getting the whole thing cleared up—along comes a letter from Mr. T. H. Edwards of Montreal, which you will find in our correspondence columns. .I was at first inclined to regard it as a legpull until I recalled that only a few weeks ago, when I spilt, by mistake, a not-quite-empty bottle of tonic water which had been standing in a group of empties for days, I was astonished to see it effervescing on the floor. If any among you are of scientific bent and understand a little about CO, (which is more than I do) perhaps you could explain this phenomenon; otherwise I can see I shall be reduced to home-made experimentation myself, with open bottles, corked bottles, stop- pered bottles and the lot.

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A query 1 have from time to time comes from parents who are anxious to encourage their children to travel when they, the parents, cannot get away themselves. A good way of doing this is through Worldfriends,' a voluntary organ- isation—the British section of the World Friend- ship Federation, a body which has its HQ Ia Copenhagen, and enjoys consultative status With UNESCO and UNICEF. It arranges home-to- home exchange holidays for young people be tween England and the Continent; and in addi- tion, it runs an international youth fortnight tri. London in July, which about 1,000 visitors are expected to attend. The organisation is anxious to secure hospitality for them; the hosts' children will be entitled to a reciprocal holiday on the Continent later in the year. If you are interested in the idea, you can get further information front the organisation at 308 Earls Court Road, Lon' don, SW5.

I am grateful to a London correspondent, Mir. David Thomas, for drawing my atttention to it letter in the Cabinet Maker for January 17, 1958, which I .feel merits printing in full. The italics are Mine.

Sir,—In common with other managers of retail establishments in Liverpool I am indeed greatly perturbed and distressed at the growin8 tendency to slash prices on goods which are in general stocked by most of the leading retailers, and which in the ordinary way are supposed to be sold at a controlled retail mark-up.

I appreciate, of course, that since the increase in mark-up from 40 to 45 per cent. there are certain retailers who do not agree with this in' crease and are still marking their goods with a 40 per cent. mark-up. Despite this, most of the manufacturers who take the trouble to issue retail selling price lists do allow for a 45 per cent. mark-up, this in general applies particu- larly to the makers of nationally advertised furniture.

A case has occurred recently where the northern branches of my firm, and also certain other leading retailers in Liverpool, have purchased a bedroom suite made specially as a sale line, which was indeed extraordinarily cheap.

One firm thought fit to put this suite on show in their window with a 20 per cent. mark-up; other firms have followed their example. This seems a most extraordinary method of doing business and surely in the long run can benefit nobody, with the exception, of course, of the general public.

I am not undtily concerned at losing the sale of a number of these suites to another firm, but I most certainly am more than concerned in the psychological effect this price cutting must have on the public; anyone looking around and seeing this suite displayed in several firms at a wide divergence of price must inevitably tend to suspect the firm charging a fair and proper price, of profiteering. I have, in actual fact, re- ceived a letter today from an irate customer, who having seen a suite which they purchased here recently in another shop in Liverpool at £7 2s. 6d. cheaper, bluntly accuses us of blatant profiteering, whereas, of course, this is far from the truth; we have only applied a proper mark- up and the firm guilty of selling the same suite at a much lower price are, of course, price cutting. I do appeal to manufacturers to do their utmost to put a stop to this iniquitous practice. After all it is entirely in their hands, and I feel that they should make a point of refusing to supply firms who consistently cut the margin of profit. Surely they do at least owe something to the reputable retailer who plays the game and marks his mechandise at a fair and reasonable profit.

Signed: L. Foster Watkins, Northern Area Manager, Waring and Gillow Ltd.

9-19 Bold Street, Liverpool, 1.