272 
HAMBURG. 
consumption of meat by the working classes returns obtained from 387 families, 
containing 1,176 persons, showed an average weekly consumption of 28 ounces 
per person, which is at the rate of 91¿ lb. per annum. Pork and bacon 
amounted to slightly over one-third of the whole ; beef comes next with about 
26 per cent., the cheaper qualities being chiefly eaten ; and then follows sausage 
with 23 per cent. Mutton and veal are but little eaten, the latter being ruled 
out owing to its high price. It is seldom that more than 2 lb. of beef is 
bought at once, and such purchases as a rule take place at the week-end ; 
during the week the usual purchase is three, four, or sixpence worth, according 
to circumstances. If the workman’s wife, who does the shopping, is buying 
pork she generally restricts her purchase to half-a-pound if the cut is foreloin 
or spare rib, but of cheaper cuts she may buy 1 lb. or 2 lb. at once. 
The predominant prices of beef as retailed in shops specially frequented by 
the working classes were in October, 1905, from l\d. to 8\d. for the better cuts, 
except steak, which the working classes seldom buy, and which cost from 
Is. 2d. to Is. 5^c?., while the cheapest cuts, shin with and without bone, cost 
5d. to o^d. and 6^d. to Id. respectively. There was little variation as between 
one joint and another in the price of mutton, the price being about 9£¿7. Veal 
ranged from Q^d. to 7fd. for shin, and 8£¿7. for shoulder with bone to 9£(7. for 
hind quarter, 9\d. to 1W. for shoulder without bone, and 11¿7. for loin. The 
most usual price for pork at the same date was 8|\d., rising to 9£¿7. for leg and 
foreloin and to 11(7. for chops. The “Production” Co-operative Society has 
its own slaughterhouse and two meat shops, and in addition it delivers meat 
ordered by members to the nearest provision shops. The turnover in this 
department of its business in 1906 amounted to £30,000, equal to 15 4 per cent, 
of the ‘ society’s entire sales. Its prices are somewhat below those generally 
charged by private butchers. 
In general there has for several years been a steady advance in the price of 
meat, as may be seen from the following statement of retail prices per pound, 
prepared by the Bureau of Commercial Statistics for the Military Authorities :— 
1903. 
Max. Min 
1904. 
1905. 
Max. Min. j Max. ! Min 
1906. 
Max. Min 
Beef :— 
Leg 
Belly 
Pork 
Bacon (smoked) .. 
per lb. 
10(7. 
7#(7. 
8# 
9^(7. 
81 d. 
6# 
7{(7. 
8pi. 
10d. 
7# 
8W. 
8#d. 
8|(7. 
6|(7. 
7¿(7. 
8p/. 
10W. 
8<7. 
10 d. 
9(7. 
7^(7. 
8W. 
9W. 
11 id. 
8f d. 
10\d. 
10§(7. 
9\d. 
8(7. 
9 d. 
iopz. 
The Abattoir Authorities certify the following mean retail prices per pound 
for veal and mutton during the same years 
Teal .. 
Mutton 
per lb. 
1903. 
9f(7. 
8^(7. 
1904. 
1905. 
1906. 
9&(7. 
8&(7. 
9|(7. 
9(7. 
10#(7. 
9|(7. 
Sausage here as elsewhere forms an important part of the flesh diet of the 
working classes. Of the average meat consumption per head shown by the returns 
of working class consumption, 23 per cent, consisted of sausage. The varieties 
are numerous, but as a rule only the cheaper kinds are bought by working people 
and generally in small quantities. Among the more popular kinds are boiled 
“ Mett ” sausage made of pork, liver sausage, and blood sausage, costing in 
1907 9\d. per lb., “red” pork sausage, costing 6J(7., “boiling” sausage, made 
of beef and pork, costing L0(7., while other kinds commonly stocked are tongue 
sausage, costing from 11|d. to Is. 3\d., “ salz ” sausage (pork), costing 9\d. to 
11(7., Brunswick “ Mett” sausage, costing ll£(7., and “ Block ” sausage, made 
of ox flesh and pork, costing Is. 2^d. 
Hamburg has not a “ Freibank ” for the sale of such meat as cannot be 
certified by the Abattoir Inspector as of unobjectionable quality, but it protects 
the consumer by means of its meat boiling establishment. The meat which