In Birmingham the percentage was also high (64 per cent.), but it
was generally sold there only as a subsidiary line to Danish. Liverpool
in the First Survey showed a higher percentage stocking New Zealand
than the other Northern areas, but here again in more than half the
instances it was sold as a second line and during the summer season
it was almost entirely replaced by Irish.
In all areas New Zealand butter appeared to be more popular in
the multiple and particularly the non-local multiple group of shops ;
in London it was stocked in 90 per cent. of these shops. Very few
dairies were stocking it, but a number of co-operative stores were
selling it in conjunction with other types. It was found most frequently
in shops doing a high or middle-class trade. :
About one-fifth of the total number of shops stocking New Zealand
in the First Survey had changed to some other type in the Second,
and it appeared that many retailers were in the habit of stocking it
regularly during the winter months only. In most cases where
New Zealand was thus stocked as a regular winter line, Irish butter
was stocked in the summer months.
In all the areas except Bristol and South Wales, New Zealand sales
were usually less than those of other types stocked with it. In the
Northern areas the chief line was commonly a European butter, but
in London it was more often bulk-blended fresh butter.
Trish Butter.
The import of butter from the Irish Free State in 1929 was about
9 per cent. of the total butter imports. As it was found impossible to
distinguish between Northern Ireland and Irish Free State butter in
the returns from retail shops, the two types have been included in
this report under the term “ Irish”. On this basis, the total supplies
of Irish butter constituted about 10 per cent. of the total imports
for the whole year, and about 13 per cent. of the total for the six
months April-September.
Irish butter was found mainly in independent shops and in branches
of local multiple firms.
The following tables show the distribution of the shops stocking
[rish butter in the First and Second Surveys.
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