VIII.-COSTS OF DISTRIBUTION OF MEAT: (A) Railway Rates and Facilities (B) Porterage and Tolls at Wholesale Meat Markets (D) Wholesale Carcase Butcher (E) Jobber (F) Retailer XI.--MEAT MARKETS AND DEPÔTS XII. INSURANCE AGAINST CONDEMNATION OF MEAT CO-OPERATION OF PRODUCERS : XIII. (A) Auction Marts (B) Slaughter-houses (C) Co-operative Disposal of Pigs and Bacon - XIV.-IMPORTED MEAT TRADE AND EMPIRE SUPPLIES PART II.-POULTRY AND EGGS. I. PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION - 103 II. METHODS OF MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION : 106 (A) Sale by Private Treaty in Producing Areas- 106 - 106 (ii) By Parcel Post or Rail direct to Consumer - 106 - 107 (iv) At the Farm - 107 (v) To Local Distributors in nearest Market Town - 108 (B) Sale by Auction in Producing Areas - 108 (C) Direct Sale to distant Distributors - 109 (D) Sale on Commission in distant Wholesale Markets - 109 (E) Co-operative Sale of Eggs and Poultry - 109 11.-COSTS OF MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION :— (A) Producer to Consumer (B) Sale through Local Market DIAGRAMS. A.-Channels of Distribution of Livestock and Meat B.-Division of a Side of Beef in London and Home Counties during C.-Division of a Side of Beef in England and Wales (excluding London and Home Counties) during Food Control D.-Normal division of a Carcase of Mutton in England and Wales F. Division of a Side of Bacon G.-Channels of Distribution of Poultry and Eggs TABLES. I.-Estimated supply of Meat in Great Britain and Ireland III.-Estimated supply of Meat in Great Britain IV.-Average Prices of Fat Stock and Dead Meat in July, 1914, and January, 1922, to June, 1923 V.-Average Wholesale and Retail Prices of Meat in 1913 and in April, 1923 PAGE 10 11 11 13 VI.-Difference between Wholesale Carcase Prices and Retail VII.-Examples of Exceptional and Ordinary Passenger Train VIII.-Examples of Ordinary and Exceptional Goods Train 14 15 47 48 IX. Prices realised for various cuts of Home-Killed Beef in 1923 63 X. Prices realised for various cuts of Home-Killed Mutton in 1923 65 XI.--Prices realised for various cuts of Pork in 1923 66 XII.-Expenses and Profits in 1922 of Retail Butchers purchasing Live Stock only 68 XIII.-Expenses and Profits in 1922 of Meat Retailers dealing only in Dead Meat 69 XIV.-Expenses and Profits in 1922 of Retail Butchers purchasing both Live Stock and Dead Meat 69 XV.-Trading Results of Retail Butchers in various Towns in the Year 1922 70 XVI.-Expenses and Profits of Industrial Co-operative Societies dealing in Meat in the Year 1913 71 XVII.-Expenses and Profits in the Years 1912 and 1913 of certain 72 76 XIX. Proportions of Animals Slaughtered which were condemned XX.-Numbers of Poultry on Holdings of over One Acre in XXII.-Imports of Live and Dead Poultry into the United MINUTE OF APPOINTMENT. I hereby appoint— The MARQUESS OF LINLITHGOW ; Sir BASIL MAYHEW, K.B.E.; Mr. ERNEST R. DEBENHAM; Dr. CHARLES M. DOUGLAS, C.B.; Mr. PERCY A. HURD, M.P.; Mr. ROWLAND R. ROBBINS, C.B.E.; Mrs. MARGARET WINTRINGHAM, M.P.; to be a Committee to inquire into the methods and costs of selling and distributing agricultural, horticultural and dairy produce in Great Britain, and to consider whether, and, if so, by what means the disparity between the price received by the producer and that paid by the consumer can be diminished. And I further appoint-- The MARQUESS OF LINLITHGOW to be Chairman; and Mr. A. W. STREET, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Mr. F. GRANT, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, (Signed) R. A. SANDERS, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. 13th December, 1922. SIR, PREFACE. To the Right Hon. Sir ROBERT A. SANDERS, Bt., M.P. 1. WE have the honour to submit the following interim report on the methods and costs of distribution of meat, poultry and eggs, and on the difference between the prices received by the producer and those paid by the consumer. 2. We have previously submitted reports on (1) milk and milk products and (2) fruit and vegetables. We propose to submit a report in due course on cereals, flour and bread. 3. So far as our enquiry into meat, poultry and eggs is concerned, we have to the date of this Report held 20 meetings and heard 53 witnesses representative of producers, distributors and consumers. A list of these witnesses is printed as Appendix I. to this Report. The evidence furnished consists largely of details of private and, in many cases, competitive businesses. It has been given under an actual or implied promise of confidence, and, as in the case of our previous enquiries, we are not in a position to release it for publication. 4. We considered it desirable to supplement and broaden the oral evidence received by inviting a large number of meat retailers throughout Great Britain to furnish particulars of their general trading experience. With that end in view, and with the assistance of the National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations, and of the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Congress, some sixteen thousand questionnaires were sent out. Copies of the forms employed are printed as Appendices II. and III. Between seven and eight hundred were returned complete in every detail, and may be regarded as representative. 5. The Scottish Federation of Meat Traders' Associations did not see its way to nominate a witness to give oral evidence before us, or to assist our enquiry by furnishing names and addresses of meat retailers to whom questionnaires could be sent. This has seriously prejudiced our enquiries so far as the retail distribution of meat in Scotland is concerned. With this exception, we gladly acknowledge our indebtedness to the various organisations of producers, distributors and consumers throughout Great Britain, and to numerous Local Authorities, for their assistance, as well as to those individual traders who have furnished us with costings and other data. Our terms of reference have not required us to investigate the costs of production, nor have we considered it necessary to investigate the relation between the prices of store and fat stock. The expenses incurred by the Committee in preparation of this Report, including fees of shorthand writer and the travelling and subsistence expenses of members and witnesses, amount to £348 0s. 11d. The cost of printing and publication is estimated at £168. These figures exclude the expenses incurred in connection with the interim reports on Milk and Milk Products and on Fruit and Vegetables. |