THE PRICE OF a loaf of brown bread went up
last week; the price of a loaf of white bread is going up shortly. Why all these fluctuations, at a time when the price of wheat has been reason- ably stable? Sceptical of the explanation, 'increased freight charges,' I have been inquiring about the reasons; and they are interesting. Before the subsidy was taken off a couple of months ago the Daily Express ran one of its silly stunts, alleging that the millers' ring was conspiring to inflate profits by rigging the price of bread and squeezing out the small baker. To the Express's chagrin, the stunt was promptly disowned by the small bakers, who pointed out that they must have higher prices if they were to compete with the mass-produced apology-for- bread put out by the chain stores. But the Express found an unexpected ally in the Exchequer, desperately trying to peg the cost of living, regardless of the small bakers. It requested that the price of bread should be kept down; and some estab- lishments, including Ranks (the bakers) agreed. The small bakers were angry; and they threatened to transfer their custom from Ranks (the millers) to rivals. Ranks (the millers) were, understandably irritated. They had been attacked by the Express for being anti-social, and here they were being attacked by their customers for being social. Ranks (the millers) lost patience. They slashed the price of flour; and their rivals had to slash too. For a brief period' there was a price war, from which bakers and public were the beneficiaries. Then peace broke out again; up went the price of flour; and it became only a matter of time before the price of bread would go up too. The news of increased freight charges caused by the shipping shortage has merely triggered off the projected increase. The price would have risen in any case, * * *
Previous page
