Cost of living in German towns

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 866449027

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-93831

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Cost of living in German towns

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stat. Off.

Year of publication:: 1908

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (LXI, 548 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

74 BARMEN. RETAIL PRICES. Groceries and other Commodities. There are no " multiple ” firms for the sale of groceries and similar com modities in Barmen, and the working classes have to choose between one or other of the many private grocers and the Co-operative Society “ Vorwärts ” with its 5,600 members, its 15 branch stores, and sales amounting to about £83,500 (year ended June 30th, 1905). The competition of the co-operative stores is strongly resented by the private shopkeepers, and has led to the formation (quite recently) of an associa tion for purposes of defence, styling itself " Society for the Defence of Commerce and Industry.” Membership of this society is not confined to grocers and pro vision dealers, but includes shopkeepers of all kinds, for its policy is also hostile to the principle of large private stores selling a great variety of commodities. The principal feature of this society is its " Savings-Discount Branch.” This branch supplies members with stamps — resembling small, oblong, postage stamps—for which it charges at the rate of 10s. per 1,000. Every member is obliged to give one or more of these stamps to every customer who pays cash for his purchase, the number being proportionate to the value of the purchase. Customers can obtain from any member of the society a book into which such stamps are pasted, the books being provided with spaces to hold either 500 or 1,000 stamps. When the book is full, it is worth to the holder 5s. in the former and 10s. in the latter case, for he can offer it in payment for those amounts respectively to any shopkeeper belonging to the society. Or he can deposit it with the society which treats it as a savings deposit and pays interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum. Each book contains a list of the local shopkeepers belonging to the society arranged according to the class of article sold. The society claims as one of the advantages of the savings-stamp system that it has enabled many of the poorer classes to clear themselves gradually of debts arising out of longstanding accounts by paying in the books when full, and being credited with the amount in part payment of the old account. The society repurchases the books filled with stamps from its members for 9s. 6d. and 4s. 9d. respectively. This system is common in other Rhineland towns, including Elberfeld and Düsseldorf. The following table shows the predominant prices paid by the working classes for groceries and other commodities in October, 1905, and May, 1906. There was no appreciable movement of prices during the intervening period. PredommaMd Pnces joafd /Ac lEorhW/ GWes w OcMer, 1905, aW May, 1906. Commodity. Coffee Sugar :— Loaf ... ... White granulated Bacon :— Fat Streaky Eggs Cheese :— Dutch .. Limburg Butter Margarine Potatoes ... Flour (household) Bread (see special note Milk Coal ... ... Paraffin oil per lb. in per Is. per lb. per 7 lbs. text as to this) , per quart ... per cwt. per gallon Predominant Price. October. 1005. lid. 2fd., 3d. 2|d., 2# 9|d. 9f d. 14 8#d 5\d. Is. 3\d. id. to 8fd. 2^d to 3¿d. Is. 1 \d. 2iyd. Is. Old. 9 |-(i. to lOd. May, 1906. lid. 2%d., 3d. 2fd., 2\d. 91 d. 9|d. 17 8|d. 5\d. Is. 2fd. id. to 8|d. 2\d. to 3\d. Is. lfd. 2\d. Is. Ofd. 9 Id. to lOd.

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