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Retail Prices of Food, 1948 Bulletin No. 965 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Maurice J. Tobin, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Ewan Clague, Commissioner Letter of Transmittal U nited States D epartment of L abor, B ureau of L abor Statistics, Washington, D. C.j August, 31 1949. The S ecretary of Labor: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on retail prices and indexes of retail prices of foods for the year 1948. In 1948, retail food prices advanced to all-time highs. The post World War II peak attained in July was followed by a reversal of trend and steady declines each month through December. A mimeographed report on retail prices of food, giving index num bers by group and subgroup of commodities and average prices for individual foods in each of 56 cities will continue to be issued monthly and will be available on request as heretofore. This report was prepared by Frances H. Martin of the Food Section of the Bureau’s Branch of Consumers’ Prices. E wan Clague, Commissioner. Hon. M aurice J. T obin, Secretary of Labor. (m) For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. Price 15 cents Contents Summary___________________________________________________________ Food prices during 1948_____________________________________________ Changes in food prices by city_______________________________________ Trend of prices for major food groups_________________________________ Retail prices of individual foods in 1948______________________________ Page 1 1 3 3 9 TABLES Table 1.—Indexes of retail prices of food in large cities combined, 1913-48, and by month, January 1946 to December 1948_____________________ Table 2.—Indexes of retail prices of food, by city and by month, 1948___ Table 3.—Indexes of retail prices of food in large cities combined, by com modity group, by year, 1923-48, andbymonth, 1948_________________ Table 4.—Average retail prices of principal foods in large cities combined, by month, 1948___________________________________________________ Table 5.—Annual average retail prices of principal foods, by city, 1948. _ 2 6 7 8 10 APPENDIX Brief description of Retail Food Price Index___________________________ Store sample selection___________________________________________ Collection of prices______________________________________________ Processing______________________________________________________ Relative importance_____________________________________________ Revisions_______________________________________________________ Publications____________________________________________________ 14 14 14 15 15 15 16 APPENDIX TABLES Table A.—Population weights used in computing retail food prices and indexes for 56 cities combined--------------------------------------------------------Table B.—List of foods and relative importance of individual foods and groups of foods included in the Retail Food Price Index, in the base period (1935-39), December 1947, andDecember 1948_______________ (V) 17 17 Summary Retail Prices of Food, 1948 During 1948 retail food prices advanced to a new record high, reaching a postwar peak in July. Through the remaining months they de clined continuously, and in December 1948 reached a level 1 percent below December 1947. Despite this slight decline over the year, food prices for 1948 averaged 8.5 percent higher than in 1947. Marked fluctuations occurred during the year. After rising in January, retail food prices turned downward in February and March, following some of the sharpest declines in the history of farm commodity prices—especially those for wheat, corn, hogs, and soybeans. As in 1947, there was speculation over whether these declines signaled the downturn for prices of all commodities. However, sustained consumer demand, strength ened by rising incomes and lower income taxes, and export demands following passage of the Foreign Assistance Act, pushed food prices to new highs. The retail food price peak reached in July was 49 percent above the June 1946 level and 17 percent above June 1920, the peak after World War I. After July, food prices declined about 5 percent to the end of the year. Table 1 and chart 1 present the trend in retail prices of all foods combined, from 1913 through 1948. Food Prices During 1948 For the second year, retail food price move ments were materially affected by the supplies and prices of wheat and corn. In January 1948, retail food prices continued upward from their previous record of December, with all groups except eggs and sugar contributing to the rise. At the beginning of the year, corn prices were high as a result of the short 1947 crop, and wheat, although plentiful, reflected the high prices of corn. In February, grain prices broke sharply, reacting from the substantial rises during the last half of 1947. The improved crop outlook at home and abroad forecast better supplies. At the same time, demand was somewhat diminished by curtailed Government buying of wheat and flour, and by unfavorable livestock-feed price ratios, which resulted in heavy slaughter of livestock. Retail food prices, reversing their upward trend, were carried down nearly 2}i percent from midJanuary to mid-February, when prices of all major groups except fruits and vegetables and beverages decreased. While the February decline was not so large at retail as at wholesale, many retailers followed rapidly the wholesale price reductions and the trend lasted through midMarch, when prices fell further by 1.2 percent to reach the low for the year. By mid-April, a rise of 2.8 percent nearly wiped out the declines of February and March, as meat supplies were reduced by a strike of packing house workers, and prices of fresh fruits and vege tables and dairy products reached new highs. In May, supplies of meats were still curtailed by the packing-house strike, while demand remained very strong. Prices continued upward to reach a peak in July. Although peaks were reached in August for most groups, August prices for all foods combined decreased slightly on the average, because of a larger-than-seasonal drop of 8.2 percent in the prices of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fats and oils started down at this time with the prospect of good oilseed crops. By late August, there was no doubt that 1948 was a year of record crop production which would have far-reaching effects on later food supplies and prices. Demand began to slow up at the existing price levels, and heavy livestock ship ments started in advance of the season. As the year progressed, a record com crop of over 3% billion bushels was harvested, accompanied by bumper crops of wheat and oilseeds. These crop harvests, presaging more abundant supplies of food and feed, including meats, fats and oils, and dairy products, influenced retail food prices down ward for the remainder of the year, 2 T able 1.—Indexes of retail prices of food in large cities combined, by yeary 1918-48, and by month, January 1946 to December 1948 11935- 39 = 100] Year All foods index All foods index Year Year All foods index Year and month All foods index BY YEAR 1913.,................ 1914................. 1915.............. 1916......... .......... 1917.................... 1918......... ......... 1919.............. 1920.................... 1921......... ......... 1922.............. 1923.................... 1924.................... 79.9 81.8 80.9 90.8 116.9 134.4 149.8 168.8 128.3 119.9 124.0 122.8 1925.................... 1926................. 1927_________ 1928__________ 1929 ......... 1930.................... 1931_________ 1932.................... 1933-........... —. 1934.................. 1935.................... 1936................... 132.9 137. 4 132.3 130.8 132. 5 126.0 103.9 86.5 84.1 93.7 100.4 101.3 Year and month All foods index Year and month All foods index 183.8 182.3 189. 5 18810 187.6 190.5 193.1 196. 5 203. 5 201. 6 202.7 206.9 1948 January February March April_______ May .Tune July August September October November December____ 209.7 204. 7 202.3 207.9 210.9 214.1 216.8 216.6 215. 2 211. 5 207. 5 205.0 BY MONTH 1937.................. 1938_________ 1939____ _____ 1940................1941 1942.................... 1943................... 1944.................... 1945............. 1946................. 1947................... 1948.............. — 105.3 97.8 95.2 96.6 105.5 123.9 138.0 136.1 139.1 159.6 193.8 210.2 1946 January___ February__ March. ___ April___ _____ May_______ June_______ July______ August______ September _ October___ N ovember.. December......... 141.0 139.6 140.1 141.7 142.6 145. 6 165. 7 171.2 174.1 180.0 187. 7 185.9 1947 January February March April.................. May June July August September October November December____ Chart 1.— Retail Prices of Food in Large Cities Combined 3 Contrary to the usual seasonal movement, in September, food price declines gained momentum in all major groups except eggs, coffee, and sugar. Although in October, November, and December, additional food price decreases of between 1 and 2 percent were reported each month, prices re mained at a relatively high level. By December, retail prices of foods were still 40.8 percent higher than in June 1946, and 10.8 percent above June 1920. Changes in Food Prices by City Of the 56 cities surveyed by the Bureau, retail food price changes from December 1947 to December 1948 ranged from a decrease of 5.6 per cent in Birmingham to an increase of 5.1 percent in Butte. Even though prices averaged higher over the year for each of the 56 cities, by Decem ber 1948 retail food prices for large cities combined were about 1 percent lower than in December 1947, as prices in 42 of these cities had dropped to a level below that at the end of 1947. These decreases over the year ranged from 0.1 percent in Portland, Maine, and Buffalo to 5.6 percent in Birmingham. Three cities showed no change over December 1947. The price declines were fairly general throughout the Nation, except in the West, where five of the seven far western cities reported increases, one city reported a decline, and one was at the level of December 1947. Throughout the year the pattern followed by the 56 cities was an interesting one. In February after the market break, food prices in all 56 cities declined. In March, 48 cities continued to de cline, while 6 moved upward. By April all 56 cities increased. In May the increase included 52 cities, and in June and July, 50. In August, 26 cities continued the increase, while 28 started to decline. From September on, the number of cities reporting declines varied from 45 to 54. During the year, record peaks were reached by 25 cities in July and 26 in August. Indexes of average retail food prices by city during 1948 are presented in table 2. (Annual average prices of individual foods by city are shown in table 5.) Trend of Prices for Major Food Groups Price movements among the major food groups varied greatly from December 1947 to December 840009—49-----2 1948, despite the net decline of only 1 percent for all groups combined. Prices decreased for six of the major food groups: fats and oils (11.4 percent) ; eggs (8.0 percent); fruits and vegetables (6.3 per cent) ; sugar and sweets (5.8 percent); dairy prod ucts (2.8 percent); and cereals and bakery products (0.2 percent). Prices increased for only two groups: meats, poultry, and fish (6.2 percent); and beverages (4.7 percent). Compared with the pre war period, 1935-39, prices in December 1948 had risen most for meats, poultry, and fish (141.3 percent) and eggs (117.3 percent), while prices had increased least for cereals and bakery products (70.2 percent), and sugar and sweets (73.0 percent). Table 3 presents indexes of retail food prices by group for the years 1923 through 1948 and for each month in 1948. The accompanying chart shows the trend of retail food prices by group through 1948. Cereals and bakery products.—In contrast to the sharp upward trend of the previous 2 years, retail prices for cereals and bakery products com bined remained relatively stable during 1948. After a 1.3 percent rise in January to a new high for this group, prices declined in February and March, and remained fairly steady through November. Despite a fractional advance in December, prices were slightly below those at the close of 1947. The largest factor in this decrease was the 11.4 percent drop in the retail price of flour, as it followed wheat prices downward. Millers con tinued to follow a cautious buying policy, and demand was lowered by reduced flour exports. Corn meal prices were reduced 10.6 percent. The price of rice, although showing a decline of 8.0 percent in its first full year without control, by December 1948 was 11.0 percent higher than in June 1947, its last month under price control. Over the year, cooky prices increased 8.2 percent, corn flakes 5.0 percent, and rolled oats 2.1 percent. Bread prices also increased 2.0 percent despite an 11.4 percent lower average in flour prices. In December record highs were reached in prices of bread, rolled oats, and cookies. Meats, poultry, and fish.—Prices for the meats, poultry, and fish group increased 6.2 percent over the year, with chickens up 9.1 percent, fish 8.5 percent, and meats 5.5 percent. Higher prices for beef, veal, and lamb more than offset lower pork prices in the meats group, with largest in creases occurring for hamburger (19.9 percent), 4 Chart 2.— Retail Prices for Groups of Food in Large Cities Combined 1 9 3 5 -3 9 = 100 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 5 veal cutlets (16.7 percent), and round steak and chuck roast (over 10.0 percent). Salt pork prices decreased 23.1 percent and sliced bacon 14.4 percent. During the first part of the year, supplies declined but per capita consumption was well maintained, and prices rose to new highs through August. By September, consumers’ price re sistance mounted, and per capita consumption declined, leaving large supplies of meat on the market and forcing prices downward through the remainder of the year. At the beginning of 1948, there were fewer live stock on farms than in any year since' 1939. The short 1947 corn crop caused unusually high feed prices, which resulted in unfavorable livestockfeed ratios, and consequently, high prices for meat animals. This combination of circumstances en couraged heavy slaughter. Later in the year, as record grain production materialized, feed costs dropped sharply, and the United States Depart ment of Agriculture urged farmers to rebuild their animal stocks. However, in September the effects of buyer resistance to record prices, and heavy livestock marketings with fear of the outlook for declining prices, took effect and brought price declines in advance of the usual seasonal trend. By December, demand for meat was relatively slow, with large supplies being carried over. After an increase of 4.5 percent in January, prices for meats, poultry, and fish were 237.5 per cent of the 1935-39 average; only 1.3 percent below the previous record high of 240.6 of September 1947. Prices for the group then broke sharply in February (5.3 percent), as meat prices dropped 6.6 percent, with pork down 10.5 percent, beef and veal 4.8 percent, lamb 3.5 percent, and chickens 1.8 percent. However, prices were still 3.5 percent above the average for the year of 1947. In March, prices steadied. Stimulated by the strike of packing-house workers from March 16 to May 22, and with reduced production, prices reached new highs in each month from April through August. The postwar peak in August brought the meats, poultry, and fish price index to a level 267.0 per cent of the 1935-39 average. The high for lamb (275.0) was reached in July, beef and veal (286.2) in August, and pork (247.9) in September. The high for fish (328.1) was in November and Decem ber. Rapid declines in retail prices of meats, poultry, and fish from September through De cember brought prices down to 241.3 percent of the 1935-39 average, 9.6 percent below the high of August. Lamb prices started downward in August, and continued down through December, although slaughter was high in relation to supplies. In Sep tember, beef and veal prices started their year-end decline in advance of the usual seasonal trend. From October through December, pork prices dropped sharply, and by mid-December had reached a point 206.2 percent of the 1935-39 aver age, only 0.9 percent above the level of March and 2.0 percent above the low of the year in February. At the end of 1948, housewives were encouraged to find that round steak had dropped to 88 cents a pound on the average, compared with $1.01 in August, and pork chops averaged about 67%cents a pound compared with 92 cents in September. Dairy products.—A decline over the year of 2.8 percent in prices of dairy products was the result of lower butter prices (down 20.8 percent) which mole than offset increases for evaporated milk (11.6 percent), fresh milk (about 7% percent), and cheese (4% percent). Butter, declining from an average price of 95.4 cents per pound in December 1947, to 75.6 cents in December 1948 had a greater influence on the down-trend of food prices than any other single item in the index. Prices of dairy products during 1948 defied the usual seasonal trends. After a rise in January, they declined in February and March. In April, prices rose 2.3 percent contraseasonally as the price of butter soared upward by 7.6 percent when the bill to eliminate the margarine tax was tabled tem porarily by Congress. By June, prices had risen slightly instead of following the regular seasonal decline. Prices continued upward, reaching the highest point on record in August, then during the remainder of the year declined sharply and contraseasonally. During the first of the year, storage supplies and production of dairy products were low. As the year progressed, stocks accumulated with larger than usual supplies of milk diverted to cheese and butter. Large oilseed crops brought lower prices of oils used in the manufacture of margarine. Conse quently, margarine became keener competition, with prices decreasing 8.9 percent over the year to 38.0 cents per pound, approximately half the price of butter. 6 T able 2.—Indexes of retail prices of food, by city 1 and by month, 1948 [1935-39=100] 1948 Region and city Average for the Jan. 15 Feb.15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May 15 June 15 July 15 Aug. 15 Sept. 15 Oct. 15 Nov. 15 Dec. 15 year United States______________ _ 210.2 209.7 204.7 202.3 207.9 210.9 214.1 216.8 216.6 215.2 211.5 207.5 205.0 200.9 206.2 205.8 209.3 200.9 200.8 216.6 200.3 204.5 202.6 208.8 201.5 199.6 215.0 195.0 197.5 198.4 203.2 195.8 193.5 210.5 192.2 195.6 197.2 202.0 193.0 192.4 205.5 198.2 201.4 201.2 204.9 197.7 197.0 213.1 199.2 207.5 207.2 208.9 201.2 199.4 217.9 204.1 210.3 211.3 213.0 205.4 204.1 222.0 210.2 214.4 214.1 218.4 208.3 209.7 224.9 208.8 214.6 213.5 217.8 205.6 209.8 227.2 207.2 212.7 211.6 215.5 205.3 207.0 223.8 202.6 209.3 209.1 210.4 203.5 204.1 218.4 199.2 205.9 202.5 204.8 199.6 198.0 211.7 194.2 201.0 200.4 203.6 194.5 195.0 209.2 204.9 205.3 210.5 205.3 213.6 202.7 209.8 202.1 201.4 209.7 205.6 212.8 202.1 213.1 196.7 200.3 206.7 199.3 205.4 196.9 203.2 196.6 196.4 201.2 196.3 204.8 196.7 201.8 200.2 203.0 208.6 202.8 209.8 200.8 208.9 207.9 204.7 210.0 205.0 213.7 205.1 212.2 211.6 209.9 213.9 209.4 219.6 208.8 216.1 212.9 212.8 217.9 210.9 222.3 211.2 218.2 213.0 212.6 216.9 212.5 220.9 209.7 217.3 210.1 211.1 216.2 212.0 219.5 207.3 213.2 206.4 205.8 211.5 208.4 215.1 200.7 209.2 201.6 203.9 208.7 202.0 211.0 196.7 202.8 200.0 201.2 204.3 199.3 208.0 196.5 201.1 215.2 212.8 218.8 196.0 205.0 209.2 210.9 220.4 218.5 213.2 213.0 217.6 196.7 205.1 208.2 206.4 219.5 217.9 204.8 209,0 212.5 192.6 199.4 204.2 203.4 208.9 211.4 204.3 212.2 206.1 210.1 209.3 213.0 190.8 193.1 197.7 203.9 203.8 205.7 204.6 210.9 205.8 , 217,0 209.1 212.6 218.4 213.5 218.0 195.3 208.0 208.0 213.7 223.8 219.3 221.3 216.3 223.7 199.2 211.3 211.5 215.3 227.3 224.4 224.7 220.4 226.2 201.9 213.2 212.6 218.3 224.9 224.9 223.6 218.1 229.0 202.2 210.1 217.1 218.8 230.8 227.0 221.4 218.0 225.6 200.8 207.6 216.0 216.3 230.3 226.4 218.0 214.4 220.9 197.2 204.4 211.8 211.2 222.1 219.5 211.9 209.4 217.0 193.1 199.9 206.8 207.5 218i0 215.2 208.2 205.2 213.0 189.4 198.7 204.8 2Q5.0 216.8 214.4 217.0 199.8 202.7 205.7 217.5 199.5 221.9 214.6 199.4 202.6 204.2 217.2 198.6 222.4 208.9 192.5 197.2 197.7 212.8 194.0 215.1 208.2 193,0 198.1 197.7 210.9 195.3 215.9 217.0 197.9 203.0 202.5 213.6 200.5 220.3 219.7 202.2 206.0 207.2 218.2 203.5 225.3 224.3 204.4 206.2 210.1 222.0 203.7 226.4 224.4 204.4 208.2 208.6 224.2 204.7 226.7 222.2 205.4 209.2 211.1 225.3 204.5 224.7 220.2 204.4 206.0 210.3 223.0 203.1 223.0 218.0 201.1 202.2 210.2 217.4 199.7 220.0 214.4 198.5 197.8 205.6 213.1 194.8 222.2 211.8 194.7 195. 6 203.1 212.2 192.1 220.4 208.4 221.2 204.5 216.2 213.9 205.6 220.8 208.2 209.9 211.9 220.2 206.6 216.2 216.5 209.1 222.9 209.5 214.5 205.6 214.5 200.2 212.2 210.2 201.3 219.6 202.0 207.9 201.1 212.3 199.1 208.1 206.0 197.6 213.6 198.9 202.7 204.7 217.8 204.8 214.7 210.5 200.6 221.4 205.1 206.0 207.9 221.6 206.7 217.3 213.3 203.4 223.3 209. 7 208.4 209.9 225.3 208.1 222.9 214.4 205.3 224.5 215.4 209.5 212.4 227.7 211.4 222.8 216.9 209.4 228.3 215.1 212.9 215.7 228.9 208.0 220.7 220.5 211.7 223.3 214.9 215.8 214.2 228.7 207.7 219.3 220.2 214.1 222.4 212.9 215.6 208.3 224.5 204.9 217.5 217.1 209.7 219.2 209.2 212.7 205.9 218.7 198.9 212.6 211.8 203.6 215.0 203.5 206.1 203.3 214.6 197.1 209.9 209.8 201.5 216.0 201.8 206.6 211.7 218.3 237.9 201.2 224.4 217.0 218.0 223.3 244.3 200.1 230. 7 219.6 211.1 221.3 239.6 198.0 224.5 215.5 207.2 214.6 230.0 193.9 219.9 212.2 207.5 218.3 233.9 198.2 222.2 216.3 209.6 218.0 236.2 201.6 223.2 217.0 212.7 216.7 238.4 203.8 226.7 219.8 218.0 220.8 241.7 206.8 229.8 222.5 219. 3 220.6 244.6 207.4 227.1 222.7 216.3 220.7 241.6 207.2 227.8 222.1 210. 8 218.6 236.7 201.7 223.7 213.8 205.4 212.7 233.9 198.9 219.0 211.3 204.8 213.8 233.9 196.6 217.9 211.8 210.7 219.9 207.9 224.9 210.3 221.5 211.4 226. 4 205.7 218.1 206.1 225.6 203.0 216.0 203.8 224.3 206.7 219.3 206.4 228.7 210.5 218.1 209.2 223.0 210.8 220.0 210.0 227.3 213.3 222.1 213.4 233.2 215.2 223.8 212.4 228.5 217.3 223.7 212.0 227.7 214.7 220. 8 206.5 220.5 212.7 217. 6 202.4 218.0 208.2 218.1 201.6 216.1 208.9 210.0 212. 5 204.8 208.6 211. 3 202.1 203.4 207.9 200.5 202.3 207.3 201.3 208.5 212.9 207.4 213.3 216.8 214.7 216.5 215.8 216.6 217.0 217.1 215.1 213.1 216.0 214.5 210.5 214.7 214.9 208.3 211.2 209.3 207.7 208.8 205.7 211.0 209.8 212. 5 226.4 220.8 217.6 212.2 223.0 218.9 218.4 210.9 219.2 215.4 214.7 208.9 220.4 215.3 212.5 213.9 223.2 219.5 215.5 212.6 229.5 223.4 221.4 212.1 228.2 221.6 220.3 213.1 233.7 223.2 223.4 212.7 234.1 224.3 221.9 212.1 231.4 224.2 221.0 213.1 227.7 223.0 217.5 213. 7 222.9 219.5 213.4 214.9 223.5 221.1 211.8 N ew England Boston. ______________ ___ Bridgeport__________________ Fall River__ ______________ Manchester_________________ New Haven_________________ Portland, Maine_____________ Providence_________________ M iddle A tlantic Buffalo_____________________ Newark.. _________________ New York ________________ Philadelphia________________ Pittsburgh__________________ Rochester__________________ Scranton___ _______________ E ast North Central Chicago___________________ Cincinnati__________________ Cleveland__________________ Oolumbus, Ohio ____ ____ Detroit____________________ Indianapolis--- ------------------Milwaukee_________________ Peoria_____________________ Springfield, 111 ------------------W est North Central Cedar Rapids2--------------------Kansas City ----------------------Minneapolis--- --------------------Omaha_____________________ St. Louis___________________ St. Paul____________________ Wichita2_______________ --South A tlantic Atlanta____________________ Baltimore------ ------------------Charleston, S. C ... _________ Jacksonville________________ Norfolk____________________ Richmond. ________________ Savannah___ ____ _________ Washington, D.2------------------Winston-Salem C___________ E ast South Central Birmingham----- -----------------Jackson2___________________ Knoxville2_________________ Louisville___________________ Memphis__________________ Mobile.---------- ------------------W est South Central Dallas_____________________ Houston___________________ Little Rock_________________ New Orleans.______________ M ountain Butte______________________ Denver____________________ Salt Lake City______________ Pacific Los Angeles________________ Portland, Oreg______________ San Francisco______________ Seattle_____________________ 1Aggregate costs of foods in each city, weighted to represent total purchases by families of wage earners and lower-salaried workers, have been combined for the United States with the use of population weights. 2 June 1940=100. 7 Eggs.—Egg prices declined 8.0 percent over the year, although averaging the highest on record. Consumer demand remained high, partly because of high prices for meat, and commercial egg stocks at the end of the year were next to the smallest on record. In November 1948, retail egg prices in large cities combined averaged 84.5 cents per dozen—higher than in any month since December 1920. Per capita consumption of eggs in 1948 was the second highest on record, and the Govern ment found it necessary to buy only about a third of the amount of the previous year to maintain farm prices at 90 percent of parity. Although farm flocks averaged 2% percent smaller during the year, the rate of lay which has been increasing over recent years, was high enough to bring 1948 egg production above 1947. Fruits and vegetables.—Retail prices of fruits and vegetables declined 6.3 percent over the year. Prices for fresh and dried fruits and vegetables dropped 7.5 and 10.0 percent, more than offsetting an increase of 1.3 percent in prices of canned products. Prices of fresh fruits and vegetables declined over the year. With plentiful supplies, decreases for all vegetables except sweetpotatoes more than offset increases for fruits, supplies of which were 6 percent below 1947. Largest vegetable declines were for carrots, cabbage, and T able 3.—Indexes of retail prices of food, in large cities combined,1 by commodity group, by year, 1923 to 1948, and by month, January 1948 to December 1948 (1935-39=100] Meats Fruits and vegetables Cereals Meats, Chick Fish Dairy Eggs All and try, Bever Fats Sugar Year and month foods bakery poul prod and ages and sweets ucts prod and Total Beef Pork Lamb ens oils and Total Fresh Canned Dried ucts fish veal BY YEAR. 1923 TO 1948 2 1923 1924 1Q25 1926 1997 1928 1929 1Q.qn 1031 -____ 1932 1Q 33 19.34. 1935____________ 1936____________ 1937____________ 1938.......................1939__ _________ 1940____________ 1941____ ________ 1942____________ 1943____________ 1944____________ 1945____________ 1946____________ 1947____________ 1948........................ 124.0 122.8 132.9 137.4 132.3 130.8 132.5 126.0 103.9 86.5 84.1 93.7 100.4 101.3 105.3 97.8 95.2 96.6 105.5 123.9 138.0 136.1 139.1 159.6 193.8 210.2 105.5 107.2 116.0 115.7 113.3 110.1 107.6 104.3 91.4 82.6 84.7 98.3 101.8 100.7 103.3 99.8 94.5 96.8 97.9 105.1 107.6 108.4 109.0 125.0 155.4 170.9 101.2 102.4 111.3 117.8 116.0 123.1 127.1 119.1 101.1 79.3 68.9 78.9 99.9 98.9 105.8 98.9 96.6 95.8 107.5 126.0 133.8 129.9 131.2 161.3 217.1 246.5 100.7 98.6 106.4 97.8 96.6 94.4 106.5 122.5 124.2 117.9 118.0 150.8 214.7 243.9 98.8 94.7 106.5 98.7 101.1 102.8 110.8 123.6 124.7 118.7 118.4 150.5 213.6 258.5 104.7 103.4 106.6 96.3 88.9 81.1 100.1 120.4 119.9 112.2 112.6 148.2 215.9 222.5 96.3 101.1 105.2 97.9 99.5 99.7 106.6 124.1 136.9 134.5 136.0 163.9 220.1 246.8 95.5 101.1 104.9 104.6 93.8 94.8 102.1 122.6 146.1 151.0 154.4 174.0 183.2 203.2 98.2 98.5 101.0 101.3 101.0 110.6 124.5 163.0 206.5 207.6 217.1 236.2 271.4 312.8 129.4 124.1 128.1 127.4 130.7 131.4 131.0 121.0 102.8 84.9 82.8 90.9 97.5 101.6 105.4 99.6 95.9 101.4 112.0 125.4 134.6 133.6 133.9 165.1 186.2 204.8 136.1 139.0 151.2 141.7 133.2 137.3 143.8 121.4 95.6 82.3 77.9 88.6 104.2 103.3 101.2 100.3 91.0 93.8 112.2 136.5 161.9 153.9 164.4 168.8 200.8 208.7 169.5 159.5 185.1 210.8 183.8 161.4 169.0 177.5 125.7 103.5 113.8 119.1 99.7 104.8 107.9 93.2 94.5 96.5 103.2 130.8 168.8 168.2 177.1 182.4 199.4 205.2 173.6 162.7 193.5 226.2 194.4 166.5 173. 5 185.7 128.7 105.9 118.9 122.3 98.8 106.2 108.6 92.1 95.1 97.3 104.2 132.8 178.0 177.2 188.2 190.7 201.5 212.4 124.8 122.2 132.3 122.9 120.8 120.6 124.3 118.6 103.3 91.1 87.9 103.9 106.2 100.9 103.2 97.4 92.3 92.4 97.9 121.6 130.6 129.5 130.2 140.8 166.2 158.0 175.4 159.6 159.0 152.4 145.9 153.9 171.0 158.7 118.7 91. 2 88.4 101.1 100.8 96.6 116.0 93.3 93.3 100.6 106.7 136.3 158.9 164.5 168.2 190.4 263.5 246.8 131.5 147.6 170.3 170.4 163.3 165.2 164.8 143.4 124.6 112.6 102.4 107.6 104.0 99.4 103.6 97.7 95.5 92.5 101.5 122.1 124.8 124.3 124.7 139.6 186.8 205.0 126.2 134.1 149.1 145.0 132.8 128.3 127.2 119! 2 96.0 7l! 1 66.4 76! 4 110! 3 102.8 105.8 93.5 87.7 82.2 94.0 119.6 126.1 123.3 124.0 152.1 197.5 195.5 175.4 159! 1 124! 6 120! 0 127.2 123.1 114! 3 107! 4 99! 1 89! 6 94.3 97! 9 lO o ! 7 99.6 101.2 97.9 100.6 96.8 106.4 126.5 127.1 126.5 126.5 143.9 180.0 174.0 215.7 222.0 214.2 228.4 229.4 225.2 223.2 204.8 199.6 197.3 192.4 196.2 158.0 256.8 157.7 256.0 157.7 253.9 156.4 252.1 156.4 250.0 157.4 248.0 157.7 248.0 157.8 249.2 159.0 249.1 158.9 238.1 159.4 230.6 159.4 . 229.8 201.9 204.0 204.4 204.4 204.6 205.1 205.2 205.3 205.6 205.9 206.4 207.8 209.3 194.2 191.7 191.4 196.6 200.5 200.8 197.8 196.8 193.0 189.4 184.4 183.4 176.8 174.4 173.6 173.0 170.6 170.9 172.3 173.2 173.1 173.3 173.0 BY PRICE REPORTING PERIOD, 1948 1948 Jan. 15__________ Feb. 15_ __............ Mar. 15.................. Apr. 15 ________ May 15_____ ____ June 15______ ___ July' 15................. Aug. 15_________ Sept. 15_________ Oct. 15 Nov. 15 ______ Dec. 15_________ 209.7 204.7 202.3 207.9 210.9 214.1 216.8 216.6 215. 2 211. 5 207. 5 205.0 172.7 171.8 171.0 171.0 171.1 171.2 171.0 170.8 170.7 170.0 169.9 170.2 237.5 224.8 224.7 233.8 244.2 255.1 261.8 267.0 265.3 256.1 246.7 241.3 233.4 218.0 218.2 229.5 242.0 255.2 263.0 269.3 265.9 254.3 243.1 235.4 239.7 228.2 228.5 241.2 255.8 273.9 280.9 286.2 280.8 269.8 262.4 255.1 225.9 202.2 204.3 212.3 219.1 223.5 233.8 246.1 247.9 233.9 214.4 206.2 231.5 223.4 216.8 232.6 253. 5 271.2 275.0 266.6 256.6 249.4 246.5 238.6 200.0 196.4 194.7 198.4 202.1 207.6 209.3 207.8 209.4 204.0 200.5 208.0 1 Aggregate costs in each city weighted to represent total purchases of famices of wage earners and lower-salaried workers, have been combined with the use of population weights. 310.9 315.0 313.6 307.2 305.0 299.3 301.6 304.4 314.9 325.9 328.1 328.1 205.7 204.4 201.1 205.8 204.8 205.9 209.0 211.0 208.7 203.0 199.5 199.2 213.6 189.2 186.3 184.7 184.9 194.2 204.3 220.2 226.6 239.0 244.3 217.3 208.3 213.0 206.9 217.4 218.0 214.9 213.4 199.6 195.8 193.5 189.4 192.3 2 Comparable indexes for the years 1923-34 have been computed by convert ing indexes from the 1923-25 base to the 1935-39 base, 8 T a b l e 4. —Average retail 'prices of principal foods in large cities combined, by month, 19J+8 1948 Article Aver age for Jan. 15 Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May 15 June 15 July 15 Aug. 15 Sept. 15 Oct. 15 Nov. 15 Dec. 15 the year Cereals and bakery products: Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cereals: 47.9 Flour, wheat.......... . ___5 pounds. _ 49.0 54.4 50.9 49.7 49.0 48.9 48.7 48.2 47.9 47.8 47.6 47.5 Com flakes.................___11 ounces.. 16.6 16.3 16.3 16.4 16.6 16.6 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.8 16.8 10.0 Com meal.................. ...........pound.. 10.9 11.3 11.3 11.1 11.1 11.1 11.0 11.1 11.1 11.0 10.8 10.2 Rice.......................... _______do— 20.8 20.9 21.1 21.0 21.1 21.1 21.3 21.5 21.6 21.6 20.0 19.5 19.2 Rolled oats_________ ___20 ounces.. 17.1 16.9 16.9 16.9 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.1 17.2 Bakery products: Bread, white............... .......... pound- 13.9 13.8 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 13.9 Vanilla cookies.......... ..............do.... 44.0 42.4 43.3 43.4 43.7 43.0 43.9 44.3 44.3 44.4 44.5 44.8 45.0 Meats, poultry, and fish: Meats: Beef: 88.3 Round steak........ ..............do___ 90.5 84.0 78.2 79.1 84.7 90.3 97.2 99.5 101.2 98.9 93.7 91.0 72.9 Rib roast.............. — .........do.... 73.7 69.8 65.6 65.4 68.6 71.9 76.8 79.6 81.5 79.9 76.9 75.4 Chuck roast....... ._______do---- 64.4 59.0 56.3 56.0 59.1 63.6 69.5 70.8 72.3 70.7 67.6 65.4 62.1 56.2 Hamburger.........................do.... 56.1 49.4 48.6 48.9 51.4 55.2 60.2 61.6 62.6 61.6 59.9 57.1 Veal: Cutlets................. — .........do.... 97.8 91.7 90.9 90.4 93.7 97.9 100.7 102.1 103.5 103.1 101.1 99.1 99.2 Pork: Chops............ ...... _______do— 77.2 72.3 65.9 69.9 73.6 77.0 78.5 83.3 91.1 91.8 83.7 72.4 67.4 Bacon, sliced...... ...............do---- 76.9 86.8 74.2 70.8 72.9 75.9 76.9 77.9 78.6 79.0 78.9 76.5 74.6 65.6 Ham, whole____ ............ .do— 68.0 69.0 62.3 62.8 64.9 65.7 68.0 71.8 73.8 74.4 70.4 66.8 Salt pork.............. ..............do___ 43.9 54.2 49.7 44.8 43.8 42.5 41.1 40.9 40.5 40.9 41.8 41.8 44.2 Lamb: Leg............. ......... ..............do___ 71.1 66.7 64.4 62.5 67.1 73.1 78.2 79.3 76.9 74.0 71.9 71.1 68.8 Poultry: Roasting chickens.......... .do___ 61.3 60.3 59.2 58.7 59.9 61.0 62.6 63.1 62.7 63.2 61.6 60.5 62.8 Fish: i Salmon, pink................16-ounce can.. 54.9 51.8 51.6 51.7 52.1 52.4 53.2 53.5 54.7 56.3 59.4 61.3 61.1 Dairy products: Butter................................ .......... pound.. 86.7 93.9 90.4 86.4 93.0 92.5 91.0 91.7 89.4 84.7 77.4 74.9 75.6 Cheese............................... ..............do___ 65.6 63.0 64.5 63.4 62.8 64.5 66.2 68.2 69.8 68.7 67.4 64.1 64.2 Milk: Fresh (delivered)....................quart.. 21.8 21.1 21.2 21.2 21.2 20.8 21.2 21.5 22.1 22.7 22.8 23.1 22.6 Fresh (grocery)_____ ..............do___ 20.8 20.2 20.3 20.3 20.2 20.1 20.3 20.6 21.3 21.4 21.6 21.6 21.3 Evaporated...............14 -ounce can.. 14.8 13.5 14.0 14.1 14.1 14.4 15.0 15.2 15.6 15.8 15.5 15.0 14.8 Eggs: Fresh.........................................dozen.. 72.3 74.0 65.6 64.6 64.0 64.1 67.3 70.8 76.3 78.4 82.7 84.5 75.2 Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits: 12.6 Apples......................... ...........pound.. 11.9 11.5 10.9 10.8 10.9 12.0 14.1 13.9 11.8 11.3 11.5 12.0 16.3 Bananas...................... ..............do---- 15.9 15.6 15.6 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.8 16.3 16.4 16.3 16.3 16.4 43.4 Oranges, size 200------ .......... dozen.. 44.7 37.7 38.4 41.0 40.4 42.2 43.8 47.8 51.8 52.9 54.3 42.7 Fresh vegetables: 18.9 Beans, green............... ..........pound.. 21.6 21.8 28.0 20.8 25.0 24.9 20.2 20.4 19.2 18.7 16.9 24.5 6.9 5.9 5.4 Cabbage---------------- ----------do— 5.3 5.1 9.5 6.6 8.5 7.3 5.2 5.3 6.7 7.7 9.9 10.2 10.3 9.9 9.9 Carrots....... ................ 12.1 13.2 14.0 12.2 13.7 16.7 14.1 10.9 14.1 Lettuce.........................--------pound.. 13.6 16.6 12.6 11.4 13.2 16.5 13.5 14.6 11.8 12.9 13.4 13.1 ........— head.. 6.5 7.3 6.4 6.1 6.4 Onions____________ 10.6 11.8 15.1 16.0 18.2 12.0 10.8 10.4 74.8 Potatoes......... ............ — 15 pounds-. 83.8 84.2 88.7 88.7 91.1 94.0 94.6 89.2 80.3 75.7 72.7 71.5 Spinach...................... --------pound.. 12.0 13.7 (2) 12.3 12.0 11.4 10.4 12.5 (2) 11.7 13.2 11.6 11.1 10.3 12.2 10.2 9.4 9.4 Sweetpotatoes........... ---------- do---- 10.9 10.2 10.7 10.8 11.1 11.7 14.2 (2) Canned fruits: 32.4 Peaches...... ...................No. 2H can.. 31.5 31.3 31.1 31.0 31.0 31.0 31.0 31.2 31.4 31.8 32.1 32.4 Pineapple...----------- .............do---- 37.1 35.3 35.5 <2) 36.2 36.3 36.6 (2) 39.5 37.0 38.0 38.4 38.8 Canned vegetables: 19.9 Corn...... .................... ----No. 2 can.. 19.7 19.5 19.5 19.5 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.7 19.7 19.8 19.9 19.8 Peas...------------------..............do---- 15.1 15.4 15.4 15.1 14.8 14.7 14.7 14.8 15.1 15.3 15.3 15.4 15.3 16.2 Tomatoes__________ ..............do---- 16.5 16.7 16.6 16.7 16.5 16.5 16.6 16.6 16.4 16.5 16.3 16.3 Dried fruits: Prunes......... _____ pound.. 21.4 22.2 22.0 21.5 21.2 21.1 20.8 20.9 20.8 20.9 21.3 21.5 22.1 18.1 Dried vegetables: Navy beans....... do___ 22.0 22.9 23.0 23.1 23.1 22.9 22.8 22.7 23.0 22.9 20.4 18.8 Beverages: Coffee................ . ..............do— 51.4 50.6 51.2 51.3 51.3 51.3 51.4 51.5 51.5 51.6 51.6 51.8 52.1 Fats and oils: Lard.................................. ..............do— 29.6 35.6 29.2 28.6 28.9 29.6 29.6 29.5 29.4 29.6 29.2 28.5 27.0 Hydrogenated shortening. ..............do---- 44.0 46.8 45.1 44.4 42.9 43.8 45.2 45.7 43.4 43.0 42.6 42.5 42.0 Salad dressing..................... 39.4 39.6 37.8 38.5 38.5 38.7 39.8 40.5 40.8 40.8 40.8 40.1 39.7 Margarine......................... .--------pound.. 41.4 42.0 41.5 40.8 40.8 42.4 44.1 43.7 42.9 41.9 40.2 38.9 38.0 Sugar and sweets: Sugar................................ .— .......do— 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.3 9.2 9.3 9.9 9.5 9.2 9.3 9.3 9.3 9.4 1 Costs of fresh and/or frozen fish are included in the index, but average prices are not computed. onions (about 40 percent). Orange prices ad vanced 15.2 percent, with increased demand during 1948 caused by the shortage of other fruits. In addition to the strong demand for fresh oranges, a new record was set in the production of canned * Inadequate reports. and frozen orange juice. Prices of apples rose 8.9 percent because of a considerably smaller crop. Cold storage stocks of apples at the end of 1948 were about 40 percent lower than a year earlier. Banana prices increased 4J£ percent. 9 In January, retail prices of fresh fruits and vegetables rose 1.7 percent and in February, in fluenced by frost and drought, the group increased a further 2.9 percent, as green beans and onions continued upward by 28 percent, and spinach 16 percent. The more abundant lettuce and cabbage declined (24 and 14 percent). Increasingly plenti ful supplies in March brought green bean prices down 26 percent, spinach 23 percent, and the average for fresh fruits and vegetables down 3.5 percent. April brought an increase of 6.6 percent, with large vegetable price increases. There was a less-than-seasonal rise in May, as plentiful supplies of onions (down 34 percent) and cabbage (down 19.2 percent) came on the market. From June through November, prices declined to 16.1 percent below the level of May, and after rising 2.0 percent in December were still slightly below the level of June 1946. Prices of canned fruits and vegetables increased 1.3 percent over the year, with increased material and labor costs. Prices of dried fruits and vegetables dropped 10.0 percent. Prices of prunes declined only 1.3 percent throughout the year although supplies were excessive because of fluctuating domestic demand and uncertainty over export requirements. The Government found it necessary to purchase large amounts of prunes and find outlets for purchases through export channels, and domestically through school lunch programs and institutions. Dried bean prices tumbled 19% percent from December 1947 to December 1948. The 1948 bean crop was 13 per cent larger than 1947, and near the record crop of 1943. Beverages.—Beverage prices rose 4.7 percent during 1948. The average retail price of coffee in December 1948 was 52.1 cents a pound compared with 49.8 cents in December 1947. Coffee prices rose in 8 months of the year, with no changes in the other 4 months. Shipping strikes were im portant in the movement of coffee prices during the year. The New York dock strike brought licensed warehouse stocks down to such an extent that by November 20, they were the lowest since coffee trading on the exchange was resumed in October 1946. Boasters found their operations re duced by the resulting coffee shortage; then the in crease in green coffee prices made advances in their prices necessary. In spite of rising prices during 1948, coffee consumption increased 3 percent over 1947, and imports were the second highest on record. Fats and oils— Prices of fats and oils dropped 11.4 percent over the year. Lard (down 25.4 percent) was mainly responsible, declining in 8 months of the year. The largest decreases were in February (17.9 percent), during the heavy sell ing of hogs after the market break, and in Decem ber (5.4 percent). Prices declined progressively from October through December, with early marketing of the spring pig crop beginning in late September. In November and December when hogs marketed averaged near the record weights of 1945, lard output was markedly greater than a year earlier. The price of lard in December 1948 had dropped to 27.0 cents a pound from the 36.2 cent price of December 1947. Over the year mar garine declined 8.9 percent, and hydrogenated shortening 7.8 percent, while salad dressing rose 6.8 percent. Abundant crops of oilseeds in the fall of 1948 brought lower vegetable oil prices, and higher consumption of margarine and shortening. Butter encountered keen competition in margarine which averaged about half the price of butter and reached a new record production for the year— about 900 million pounds, compared with 746 million pounds in 1947. Exports of fats and oils in 1948 were lower than in 1947. Sugar and sweets.—In the first full year free of price and ration controls since 1942, the retail price of sugar decreased 5.8 percent, although consumption by civilians was the largest on record and quotas were set on the quantities marketed. The lowering of the sugar tariff at the beginning of 1948 in the face of a record world supply was a contributing cause of the decline. Retail Prices of Individual Foods in 1948 Average retail prices of individual foods for large cities combined are presented in table 4 for each month in 1948. Annual average retail prices of individual foods in each of 56 cities, for 1948, are shown in table 5. 10 T a b l e 5 . —Annual Article Cereals and bakery products: Cereals: Flour, wheat ... 5 pounds.. Corn flakes_____11 ounces. _ Corn meal________pound.. Rice____ _________ do___ Rolled oats_____20 ounces.. Bakery products: Bread, white______pound.. Vanilla cookies........ ..do___ Meats, poultry, and fish: Meats: Beef: Round steak.........do___ Rib roast............do.... Chuck roast____ do____ Hamburger..........do.... Veal: Cutlets..............do___ Pork: Chops__________do___ Bacon, sliced.........do___ Ham, whole_____do___ Salt pork_______ do___ Lamb: Leg_________ do___ Poultry: Roasting chickens .do___ Fish:* Salmon, pink...............__l6-ounce can.. Dairy products: Butter....... .................... pound. _ Cheese__________ ____..do___ Milk: Fresh (delivered)___quart. . Fresh (grocery)_____ do.. __ Evaporated. 14J^-ounce can.. Eggs: Fresh_____________ dozen.. Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits: Apples..................... pound. _ Bananas_____ ____..do___ Oranges, size 200.......dozen. _ Fresh vegetables: Beans, green______ pound.. Cabbage____ _____ .do.... Carrots__________ bunch.. Lettuce___ ________head.. Onions___________pound.. Potatoes............15 pounds. ._ Spinach________ .pound Sweetpotatoes______ do___ Canned fruits: Peaches______No. 2Vi can.. Pineapple__________ do___ Canned vegetables: Corn....................No. 2 can.. Peas______________ do___ Tomatoes__________ do___ Dried fruits: Prunes___ pound.. Dried vegetables: Navy beans_______________ do___ Beverages: Coffee__________ do____ Fats and oils: Lard______________ ..do___ Hydrogenated shortening .do___ Salad dressing__________ pint.. Margarine _________ pound. _ Sugar and sweets: Sugar____ do___ See footnotes at end of table. United States Cents average retail prices of principal foods, by city, 194-8 NEW ENGLAND Fall Man New Port New Phila Pitts Boston Bridge River chester Haven land, Provi Buffalo New York delphia burgh Roch port ark ester Maine dence Cents Cents 49.6 15.8 11.7 20.5 17.5 12.9 (0 Cents 90.5 102.3 100.4 73.7 72.6 73.7 64.4 69.3 70.4 56.1 61.6 63.4 97.8 96.0 100.3 77.2 78.7 78.2 76.9 76.8 77.0 68.0 69.3 69.0 43.9 36.3 34.7 71.1 72.4 72.6 61.3 61.6 62.7 54.9 52.7 53.4 86.7 86.0 86.3 65.6 61.0 0) 21.8 23.0 23.0 20.8 21.7 22.2 14.8 15.1 15.0 72.3 77.4 80.4 99.0 71.0 65.7 63.4 0 80.3 76.7 69.4 35.8 72.7 63.1 55.0 85.5 62.6 22.6 22.1 15.3 76.4 99.7 102.8 70.2 72.5 65.2 66.6 62.1 0 99.5 105.6 78.2 77.9 76.5 76.0 67.5 69.5 35.1 36.1 72.0 72.2 58.4 62.2 54.5 55.5 84.2 86.4 65.2 0) 22.9 22.1 22.4 21.7 15.2 15.0 75.6 78.1 11.9 15.9 44.7 21.6 6.6 12.1 13.6 10.6 83.8 12.0 10.9 31.5 37.1 19.7 15.1 16.5 21.4 22.0 51.4 29.6 44.0 39.6 41.4 9.4 12.3 15.9 49.3 07.4 13.8 16.8 10.9 70.6 0 11.3 10.0 15.3 49.0 0) 7.3 13.0 15.9 10.2 71.7 0 0) 32.0 0 20.4 17.0 15.7 21.7 24.6 52.1 30.0 44.4 44.7 41.2 9.4 49.0 16.6 10.9 20.8 17.1 13.9 44.0 MIDDLE ATLANTIC 48.5 15.6 11.1 21.2 16.6 14.1 0 10.9 15.2 42.4 21.9 7.3 13.2 16.7 10.4 77.2 0) 10.5 32.4 36.1 20.4 17.9 18.5 21.2 24.7 54.6 31.1 43.8 41.6 40.6 9.1 11.0 16.0 47.8 23.8 6.9 14.2 16.3 10.5 78.4 0) 11.0 33.4 39.0 20.0 0) 17.2 22.4 22.8 52.6 30.1 44.6 42.9 41.4 9.5 50.2 16.4 11.7 20.8 16.8 14.4 0) 33.2 0) 19.9 17.1 16.0 21.5 24.6 52.6 30.0 44.8 41.2 41.4 9.4 Cents 51.1 17.2 11.4 0 16.6 13.5 41.4 Cents 50.0 16.6 11.7 20.5 17.1 13.5 38.1 11.0 15.4 43.9 24.4 6.7 13.6 15.0 10.4 75.0 12.2 0) 32.4 37.9 19.7 17.6 16.2 22.1 21.1 52.2 30.2 44.6 41.5 41.3 9.3 Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents 47.1 16.5 11.5 20.1 16.5 15.1 40.1 Cents 93.5 97.9 68.1 72.4 0 59.7 60.3 0 100.4 0 77.1 79.1 75.3 75.8 67.2 68.7 40.1 35.1 71.1 72.3 59.9 63.2 52.4 0 83.8 86.9 64.0 0 21.7 23.1 21.9 21.1 15.2 14.6 77.8 74.9 85.3 96.4 96.2 97.6 70.8 73.5 76.7 75.7 63.9 67.7 67.5 66.3 58.0 63.0 61.2 57.4 98.4 104.6 107.4 108.0 80.3 78.8 79.0 80.6 69.3 78.3 80.1 78.9 66.9 69.3 70.4 69.0 55.4 46.6 49.2 68.6 69.3 0) 70.5 71.3 58.4 60.2 61.0 60.4 53.7 0 55.8 53.5 85.0 87.9 88.4 87.4 63.6 64.9 70.8 62.8 22.1 24.5 24.2 21.3 20.2 22.7 22.0 20.8 14.4 14.8 15.1 15.0 73.5 79.6 79.8 77.4 90.4 74.3 65.8 59.2 97.6 80.7 76.3 65.9 45.7 72.2 0 58.4 86.9 64.0 21.1 20.7 14.7 73.0 88.2 71.9 64.3 54.6 99.7 81.4 72.0 67.1 54.0 69.3 62.7 54.2 85.3 0) 22.3 21.1 15.0 74.3 10.6 15.6 42.4 06.7 12.7 14.4 10.6 67.6 0 0 34.8 0 20.4 17.5 17.5 22.1 25.5 53.2 29.9 44.1 42.0 42.6 9.4 10.7 16.4 47.8 21.8 6.0 12.0 13.8 10.9 74.2 0) 0 32.6 0 19.1 15.8 17.8 20.8 20.4 50.1 28.0 43.6 36.7 42.0 9.4 10.6 17.0 45.9 20.8 7.0 12.9 14.2 10.9 81.4 12.7 12.2 33.7 0 20.0 15.3 17.0 22.1 21.4 51.2 29.6 44.4 40.8 41.9 9.7 9.2 15.5 45.7 24.2 6.3 11.1 14.5 9.5 66.9 0 0 33.4 0 19.1 16.0 19.2 22.0 22.1 50.6 29.1 44.2 36.9 42.2 9.5 50.0 16.9 11.6 21.2 17.0 13.3 0 48.6 16.1 11.7 20.3 16.1 14.1 42.6 11.9 15.7 38.6 22.7 6.8 13.6 16.1 10.4 76.1 0 11.0 31.7 36.0 19.1 16.9 16.8 20.1 23.8 51.3 29.7 43.8 41.5 41.0 9.1 48.2 15.3 11.4 19.4 16.5 13.7 0 Cents 48.0 16.1 11.8 21.6 16.5 14.2 0 11.8 15.0 47.9 19.6 7.2 14.0 14.9 10.6 81.6 12.9 10.7 32.2 36.5 20.0 15.8 16.7 21.9 22.7 51.6 30.7 44.1 42.4 42.2 9.3 48.5 17.1 12.0 21.3 16.9 14.9 0 12.9 15.5 46.5 21.0 7.3 13.8 14.9 10.7 80.4 13.7 12.1 32.8 39.3 21.0 16.7 16.7 21.5 23.4 51.5 30.9 44:8 44.1 41.6 9.3 12.1 15.8 41.4 21.6 6.9 13.3 15.3 10.4 81.4 12.4 10.9 30.3 0 19.2 15.0 16.8 19.9 23.4 49.6 29.0 44.4 37.8 41.3 8.9 49.7 16.5 11.9 21.5 17.5 13.6 0 Cents 50.6 16.1 10.8 20.5 17.2 13.8 0) 11 T able 5.—Annual average retail prices of principal foods, by city, 1948—Continued Article MID DLE AT LAN TIC— Con tin ued WEST NORTH CENTRAL EAST NORTH CENTRAL Scran Chi Cincin Cleve Colum Detroit Indian Mil Peoria Spring- Cedar Kansas Minne Omaha apolis waukee field Rapids City apolis ton cago nati land bus Cereals and bakery products: Cereals: Flour, wheat___ 5 pounds. _ Cornflakes........ 11 ounces.. Corn meal________pound.. Rice..................... .......do___ Rolled oats_____20 ounces.. Bakery products: Bread, w hite.____ pound.. Vanilla cookies______do___ Meats, poultry, and fish: Meats: Beef: Round steak.........do___ Rib roast_______ do___ Chuck roast_____do___ Hamburger...........do___ Veal: Cutlets.............do___ Pork: Chops...................do___ Bacon, sliced........do___ Ham, whole_____do___ Salt pork...............do___ Lamb: Leg_________ do___ Poultry: Roasting chickens pound. . Fish: 2 Salmon, pink 16-ounce can.. Dairy products: Butter____ _________ pound.. Cheese________________do___ Milk: Fresh (delivered)___quart. _ Fresh (grocery)...........do___ Evaporated. 14H-ounce can.. Eggs: Fresh........ ................... dozen._ Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits: Apples____ _____ .pound.. Bananas____ ____...do___ Oranges, size 200___ dozen. _ Fresh vegetables: Beans, green______ pound. Cabbage___________ do___ Carrots__________ bunch.. Lettuce_____ ____.head. _ Onions___________pound._ Potatoes.............16 pounds.. Spinach__ ____ pound.. Sweetpotatoes______ do___ Canned fruits: Peaches______No. 2lA can.. Pineapple__________ do___ Canned vegetables: Corn__________No. 2 can.. Peas______________ do___ Tomatoes__________ do___ Dried fruits: Prunes.......pound. Dried vegetables: Navy beans...............................do___ Beverages: Coffee__________ do___ Fats and oils: Lard...................................do___ Hydrogenated shortening..do. _„ Salad dressing...................pint.. Margarine___________ pound.. Sugar and sweets: Sugar_____do___ See footnotes at end of table. Cents 46.1 16.8 11.4 20.5 16.8 14.4 37.7 Cents 90.2 71.9 64.7 58.1 98.2 79.5 76.8 67.2 55.4 73.6 59.2 54.9 84.7 62.6 21.5 21.5 14.6 74.3 88.7 74.3 65.3 54.8 94.1 77.8 76.6 65.0 48.2 69.2 58.3 45.6 84.3 64.4 89.7 72.5 64.1 54.9 94.5 77.6 78.7 68.2 44.4 77.5 72.0 54.6 81.5 62.6 22.2 20.5 14.7 67.4 21.6 20.3 14.9 64.4 75.1 65.2 53.2 96.6 76.8 73.1 66.6 46.4 72.4 60.9 54.1 85.6 65.2 20.9 19.7 15.1 75.0 10.1 12.0 12.0 12.0 16.2 48.1 20.2 6.6 6.5 12.2 12.2 14.5 14.5 10.9 11. 0 97.2 1 82.7 14.6 0 ) 11.3 12.0 21.1 47.1 16.0 12.0 20.4 16.3 13.0 53.8 15.1 16.3 45.1 47.6 19.8 21.8 5.5 6.5 12.2 11.4 14.4 13.4 9.6 10.0 64.2 100.0 14.7 (9 10.0 31.3 (9 19.5 13.4 15.5 (9 21.0 49.3 28.6 42.5 40.8 41.8 9.0 12.2 31.2 37.2 19.3 14.5 17.3 21.5 20.0 49.7 28.4 43.6 37.7 41.5 9.5 Cents 50.4 16.3 11.2 19.8 17.4 13.1 (9 16.5 37.3 31.6 (9 19.2 15.0 17.2 23.2 20.3 51.7 30.3 43.7 40.2 41.6 9.5 Cents 48.4 17.6 12.3 21.2 17.0 13.6 (9 86.1 15.8 47.7 23.2 32.1 39.6 19.9 13.6 (9 23.4 21.3 50.6 32.4 44.4 37.7 39.2 9.8 Cents 48.4 16.4 10.7 20.3 17.3 12.4 (9 Cents 48.4 16.6 12.0 21.1 17.1 13.4 48.8 87.7 73.1 65.0 56.5 91.2 75.7 76.3 67.5 42.8 76.8 68.3 56.5 82.7 59.9 19.7 19.2 15.0 66.1 84.2 70.9 62.4 53.6 91.1 78.4 74.0 68.2 44.9 70.6 60.6 54.9 85.6 61.9 20.3 19.5 14.6 69.8 10.8 10.8 6.5 12.7 14.3 11.2 77.7 14.6 11.5 31.7 (9 18.0 15.4 16.2 22.0 17.6 50.9 29.0 44.0 39.2 39.9 9.7 16.1 48.5 24.4 6.6 11.8 14.2 10.6 79.1 (9 12.8 32.4 (9 19.8 14.0 16.9 22.0 21.2 49.8 30.3 43.6 36.7 40.5 9.8 Cents 49.7 16.2 11.3 20.5 17.3 12.8 54.0 88.5 70.8 62.6 53.1 91.6 74.7 75.4 Cents 49.1 16.1 11.7 (9 16.6 12.8 C 1) 86.8 19.8 14.8 64.5 71.4 65.2 56.4 86.7 73.6 78.6 67.3 47.4 74.0 59.2 58.4 85.1 63.9 19.4 19.0 14.5 63.5 11.3 45.5 19.3 12.3 16.7 52.2 24.2 14.6 11.4 88.1 14.6 11.3 31.8 13.1 9.8 86.7 66.6 (9 0) (9 57.0 84.3 64.6 20.1 (9 6.8 12.8 (9 19.6 15.6 16.9 22.8 21.4 51.4 29.2 43.2 39.4 42.4 9.8 6.1 11.0 (9 (9 32.0 0) 20.3 13.7 17.7 22.2 21.1 50.5 28.3 42.9 38.0 56.1 9.7 Cents 46.5 16.4 13.1 20.9 17.0 13.7 53.6 89.1 62.4 55.0 90.2 74.9 75.2 66.6 41.7 Cents 46.4 17.1 13.3 20.3 17.6 14.2 (9 86.5 60.4 53.5 87.7 73.2 75.9 65.7 (9 66.0 (9 (9 (9 80.3 62.0 22.3 20.6 14.4 56.7 61.4 56.8 84.0 62.4 20.4 19.8 14.6 53.6 11.0 10.6 0) (9 16.3 46.4 0) 7.1 12.4 13.5 10.6 79.0 (9 11.5 30.7 (9 20.4 13.6 17.3 22.3 19.6 50.8 28.7 43.2 38.2 37.7 9.7 Cents Cents 85.1 62.1 60.3 54.0 85.7 72.1 74.6 65.0 45.2 86.7 73.0 61.6 54.4 89.2 73.3 77.8 65.8 43.5 76.3 49.0 17.9 12.3 21.3 17.4 13.3 51.3 (9 (9 (0 81.4 64.0 17.1 17.1 15.4 54.3 11.3 47.5 17.3 46.3 (9 (9 (9 6.8 6.7 12.3 12.9 11.1 80.9 0) 11.9 33.5 12.4 13.9 11.6 79.6 0) (9 34.3 (9 20.2 <9 21.0 (0 16.1 18.6 19.8 53.1 28.2 45.0 45.9 41.0 9.8 19.0 15.7 18.8 20.3 50.9 29.6 43.8 39.4 46.7 10.0 47.5 17.7 12.9 20.3 17.0 12.5 56.5 (9 55.1 84.3 62.5 20.2 19.4 14.6 62.2 11.8 17.4 50.8 22.5 6.1 12.1 14.2 11.0 92.0 (9 (9 33.0 41.0 20.6 13.7 14.7 22.1 17.7 51.6 28.3 44.5 38.9 42.4 9.8 Cents 49.4 17.5 11.9 19.7 17.3 13.0 52.0 86.2 74.3 64.2 53.2 89.2 73.9 79.4 66.9 47.0 68.9 54.7 55.2 84.6 65.2 19.5 18.2 15.2 61.5 13.2 16.3 51.7 (9 6.3 11.2 13.6 10.4 82.0 (9 12.2 34.2 42.2 18.6 13.5 18.3 21.4 20.2 52.5 28.7 45.2 38.9 44.5 9.9 Cents 47.7 17.4 11.3 19.8 16.8 13.4 48.1 84.9 68.9 59.7 52.4 86.2 68.9 76.8 66.4 44.4 71.0 44.9 54.5 82.9 61.4 19.5 18.8 14.6 55.9 12.2 16.5 51.8 0)6.5 12.6 13.9 11.2 83.2 (9 (9 32.1 40.9 18.1 13.8 16.2 21.7 17.3 51.6 28.2 41.2 37.8 41.8 9.4 12 T a b l e 5. —Annual Article Cereals and bakery products: Cereals: Flour, wheat........5 pounds._ Corn flakes..........li ounces.. Corn meal...............pound.. Rice.............................do___ Rolled oats_____20 ounces. _ Bakery products: Bread, white............pound.. Vanilla cookies.......... .do___ Meats, poultry, and fish: Meats: Beef: Round steak....... .do___ Rib roast..............do___ Chuck roast.........do___ Hamburger..........do___ Veal: Cutlets..............do___ Pork: Chops...... .......... .do ... Bacon, sliced........do___ Ham, whole........ .do___ Salt pork...............do___ Lamb: Leg........... ......do___ Poultry: Roasting chickens pound.. Fish:8 Salmon, pink 16-ounce can.. Dairy products: Butter____ _____ ____pound.. Cheese...............................do___ Milk: Fresh (delivered)___quart.. Fresh (grocery)_____ do___ Evaporated.14^-ounce can.. Eggs: Fresh..........................dozen.. Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits: Apples---------------- pound. _ Bananas___________do___ Oranges, size 200___ dozen.. Fresh vegetables: Beans, green....... .pound.. Cabbage.....................do___ Carrots__________.bunch.. Lettuce.......................head.. Onions___________pound.. Potatoes............. 15 pounds.. Spinach__________pound.. Sweetpotatoes.............do___ Canned fruits: Peaches..........No. 2H can.. Pineapple..... .............. do___ Canned vegetables: Corn___ ____...No. 2 can.. Peas............................do___ Tomatoes..................do___ Dried fruits: Prunes___pound.. Dried vegetables: Navy beans...............................do___ Beverages: Coffee.......... ......... do___ Fats and oils: Lard................................... do___ Hydrogenated shortening, do__ Salad dressing__________ pint.. Margarine......................pound.. Sugar and sweets: Sugar.........do___ See footnotes at end of table. average retail prices of principal foods, by city, 1948—Continued WEST NORTH CEN TRAL—Continued EAST SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH ATLANTIC Wash Wins Bir JackCharles Jack St. St. Rich Louis Paul Wichita Atlanta Balti S. C. sonville Nor mond Savan ington, Salem ming son more ton, folk nah D. C. ton- ham. Cents Cents 48.5 16.5 12.2 19.5 16.8 13.4 50.0 Cents Cents 50.1 18.0 11.9 19.3 17.7 13.2 51.2 46.8 18.9 12.8 19.8 17.4 13.8 57.4 53.0 16.5 7.6 20.6 17.4 13.9 42.0 52.2 19.6 11.9 18.8 18.0 13.9 40.6 48.7 16.0 12.6 20.0 16.7 13.3 42.4 89.4 68.6 60.7 55.4 92.9 73.1 75.5 65.3 44.7 68.4 82.0 70.9 62.3 54.9 85.9 73.1 78.8 66.5 46.8 70.7 56.7 54.8 84.6 66.5 19.0 17.5 15.2 61.1 0) 58.7 85.5 50.1 89.5 72.0 78.0 65.2 47.3 80.1 55.4 57.7 85.6 61.5 20.2 19.6 14.6 55.5 89.2 94.6 90.5 73.0 73.8 77.7 65.0 64.3 52.3 61.5 62.8 (9 91.4 105.8 101.9 70.7 78.5 70.1 77.7 79.6 77.2 66.8 69.4 42.4 44.3 67.7 43.6 80.2 72.6 (9 62.3 57.5 63.2 56.0 54.5 54.6 92.3 89.8 91.5 62.3 67.4 62.1 22.3 20.7 22.6 22.4 20.5 22.5 14.6 15.2 15.0 66.0 73.6 66.1 89.2 75.8 64.2 46.6 91.5 72.1 78.7 67.6 41.1 76.4 65.9 54.1 87.7 62.4 25.8 25.8 14.0 70.4 13.3 16.3 52.4 22.5 7.2 12.3 16.5 11.5 93.7 0) 12.1 33.4 12.5 14.1 31.6 18.4 5.8 11.8 13.5 11.0 84.2 (9 9.7 32.6 13.1 14.7 32.2 20.2 6.1 13.5 15.2 11.2 84.9 0) 9.2 32.9 12.7 12.4 25.0 19.3 5.4 11.8 13.2 10.4 81.7 (9 10.2 30.9 (9 33.6 20.6 16.5 17.2 20.2 15.3 14.8 20.2 16.5 15.0 23.5 24.4 58.1 31.9 44.5 39.7 40.8 9.4 19.9 13.7 14.4 21.9 20.8 52.3 29.0 43.3 38.2 40.1 (9 55.4 84.9 62.8 22.5 21.8 14.2 62.3 11.6 17.0 49.3 22.3 6.8 11.8 13.6 10.5 87.9 13.2 10.3 32.1 (9 20.0 14.3 15.9 21.7 19.8 50.8 27.0 42.5 38.1 39.9 9.5 13.5 16.8 49.6 23.6 6.7 11.6 14.4 10.6 88.1 0) 12.5 33.7 42.7 19.1 13.0 17.4 20.7 19.3 53.6 29.2 42.1 37.9 48.6 10.1 (9 (9 19.5 52.0 26.8 43.2 39.2 42.4 9.8 (9 22.2 20.3 52.7 28.8 43.7 38.8 42.4 9.0 Cents 47.9 17.0 11.9 21.3 17.1 14.1 (9 11.8 16.5 38.0 19.4 6.9 13.5 15.3 11.3 83.2 (0 10.8 32.1 36.9 18.8 15.9 15.7 22.6 21.6 52.4 28.7 44.7 39.1 42.3 9.4 Cents (0 Cents (9 8 .8 Cents 49.5 17.6 (9 19.7 17.2 13.4 38.1 92.9 73.0 63.5 55.7 99.5 73.2 74.0 68.8 44.6 72.2 Cents 49.1 17.0 9.0 20.0 17.3 13.6 (9 50.3 18.2 10.4 20.2 17.2 13.6 47.4 Cents 49.2 17.2 10.9 22.4 17.5 13.1 42.8 Cents Cents Cents 52.2 17.1 8.7 21.4 18.2 14.4 39.6 49.5 18.0 9.1 20.8 16.6 14.3 37.2 54.8 20.2 9.7 21.9 18.0 14.6 40.9 (9 62.5 54.4 88.7 63.7 23.1 23.2 14.7 69.7 (9 89.0 63.7 21.7 22.1 14.7 70.3 87.4 73.9 60.6 50.8 88.8 69.4 76.4 63.5 40.6 77.9 64.2 56.2 88.2 62.2 24.8 24.5 14.5 67.0 12.1 19.7 5.7 13.3 14.3 10.8 76.5 (9 9.1 31.0 11.2 15.4 36.8 20.0 5.6 13.3 15.0 10.9 74.0 0) 10.1 32.6 11.8 14.1 28.1 19.2 5.2 12.5 13.7 10.9 79.8 (9 9.0 33.6 11.7 16.2 39.1 19.8 6.1 13.4 16.0 10.8 77.7 (9 10.4 32.1 10.3 14.8 34.8 17.7 6.1 14.4 14.8 12.4 88.8 (9 9.1 33.6 14.2 14.0 30.4 22.3 5.8 12.0 12.9 11.4 87.1 (9 9.4 32.8 14.8 13.4 38.4 24.3 6.5 11.7 13.5 12.1 110.7 (99.5 33.4 18.2 17.0 14.5 21.2 21.0 46.4 29.7 43.3 39.0 42.7 9.5 18.6 13.5 14.4 20.3 20.6 52.0 28.6 44.3 39.2 41.9 9.3 22.2 15.2 14.7 22.8 19.5 13.9 15.3 21.0 22.6 50.8 29.2 44.2 41.1 43.0 9.5 20.0 18.9 16.1 20.8 13.6 15.5 21.7 22.5 48.1 27.4 41.2 40.2 40.2 9.2 21.9 14.6 16.3 (9 (9 91.3 73.4 61.6 54.4 97.9 74.7 77.5 68.0 45.2 72.3 53.8 Cents (9 (9 22.2 52.8 30.1 43.5 39.1 40.7 8 .8 91.5 72.9 62.4 58.7 99.5 77.3 77.7 67.5 43.6 70.3 56.1 56.3 88.5 69.9 21.0 20.2 15.4 73.3 88.9 71.9 63.3 54.7 88.7 69.1 77.9 69.5 42.1 76.5 60.2 57.4 94.4 63.4 22.8 23.1 15.2 68.3 87.4 68.9 59.4 53.5 80.3 66.4 74.2 64.4 41.8 70.5 60.0 54.5 91.4 61.2 24.2 24.0 14.2 63.7 (9 (9 22.2 19.0 56.3 31.5 45.8 40.6 44.2 9.6 (9 91.2 50.1 89.3 72.5 80.8 68.8 44.6 (9 63.2 (9 89.8 64.7 22.3 22.4 15.3 65.0 (9 (9 21.7 57.7 30.9 44.2 42.8 41.6 9.3 13 T a b l e 5. —Annual Article average retail prices of principal foods, by city, 1948—Continued EAST SOUTH CEN TRAL—Continued MOUNTAIN PACIFIC San Salt Los Knox Louis Mem Mobile Dallas Hous Little New Butte Den Lake An Port Fran Seattle Or land, ville ville phis ton Rock leans ver City geles Oreg. cisco Cereals and bakery products: Cents Cereals: Flour, wheat___ .......... 5 pounds.. 53.2 Corn flakes.......... ........11 ounces.. 17.9 Corn meal______ _______pound.. 7.7 Rice___________ ________ do___ 22.1 Rolled oats......... ____ 20 ounces.. 18.0 Bakery products: Bread, white___ ..............pound.. 14.1 Vanilla cookies.. .................do___ 45.5 Meats, poultry, and fish: Meats: Beef: Round steak. ............... do___ 88.8 Rib roast___ ................do___ 69.9 Chuck roast.. ________ do___ 61.2 Hamburger... ________ do---- 53.8 Veal: Cutlets___ ________ do___ 86.7 Pork: Chops______ ________ do___ 69.4 Bacon, sliced. ________ do.... 76.4 Ham, whole _______ do___ 66.6 Salt pork... ________ do___ 44.4 Lamb: Leg______________do.. 0) Poultry: Roasting chickens____do.... 70.4 Fish:2 Salmon, pink. ._.16-ounce can.. 0) Dairy products: Butter........ ........... . _______ pound._ 88.1 Cheese........................_________do---- 62.1 Milk: Fresh (delivered)................ quart.. 20.2 Fresh (grocery)...................do___ 20.5 Evaporated __ .1413-ounce can.. 15.6 Eggs: Fresh___________________dozen.. 64.3 Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits: Apples. ---------- _______ pound.. 11.5 Bananas_______ _________do— 14.9 Oranges, size 200. .......... . .dozen._ 34.4 Fresh vegetables: Beans, green___ .............pound. _ 23.3 Cabbage ............. .................do___ 6.2 Carrots.________ ...............bunch __ 13.2 Lettuce________ ________ head.. 13.5 Onions________ _______pound _ 11.6 Potatoes.......................15 pounds.. 90.8 Spinach.............. .............pound. _ 0) Sweetpotatoes--.._________do---- 10.2 Canned fruits: Peaches________ ___No. 2>3 can.. 33.6 Pineapple______ ________ do---- 0) Canned vegetables: Corn... .............. ____ No. 2 can.. 21.5 Peas__ _____ .. ________ do---- 15.5 Tomatoes. ... . __ do---- 16.5 Dried fruits: Prunes.._______ pound.. 22.8 Dried vegetables: Navy beans..do__ 17.7 Beverages: Coffee______ ________do____ 49.2 Fats and oils: Lard.......................... ________ do___ 31.1 Hydrogenated shortening.. _ __ do___ 45.8 Salad dressing______ _________pint.. 41.1 Margarine__ ____ _______pound. 43.2 Sugar and sweets: Sugar..________ do___ 10.0 Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents Cents 48.8 17.2 10.3 20.4 17.2 12.8 32.9 53.2 18.5 10.2 19.1 17.3 14.2 47.8 49.6 17.6 10.6 19.6 17.5 16.6 37.2 46.7 16.5 12.0 22.0 16.7 13.7 43.1 47.1 16.4 11.8 21.7 16.9 12.7 42.6 51.2 20.1 12.8 19.4 17.6 13.1 39.5 51.2 17.0 12.2 19.2 17.7 13.8 46.6 51.0 17.8 14.3 20.7 19.5 13.6 50.8 42.5 19.0 11.8 21.6 17.5 13.1 51.6 49.4 16.5 13.3 19.1 18.2 12.6 32.4 51.6 15.9 12.4 22.2 17.6 14.4 43.7 51.3 17.0 13.0 23.4 19.1 14.6 47.3 54.1 17.4 12.8 23.9 18.8 15.3 46.9 51.6 16.8 12.8 22.5 18.2 14.6 46.3 85.5 68.5 60.3 51.1 94.2 74.4 74.7 62.5 0) 76.2 58.1 56.8 85.0 61.8 22.0 21.3 15.0 64.8 86.7 69.8 59.8 50.1 0) 71.6 76.0 65.8 42.8 0) 58.0 0) 87.2 63.3 18.8 18.8 14.6 67.6 85.6 71.5 58.9 50.1 87.1 70.0 70.8 67.2 44.8 77.6 62.0 52.9 87.0 64.4 24.0 24.1 14.3 64.6 87.6 72.6 60.4 53.1 90.4 68.1 75.8 67.3 40.6 76.3 60.2 57.0 88.8 64.4 21.1 20.7 14.7 69.5 94.9 80.5 65.5 55.5 89.4 74.6 75.4 68.9 47.2 78.7 63.2 54.3 86.2 66.3 23.3 21.8 14.7 67.2 87.7 73.2 60.2 51.7 87.4 69.3 75.5 64.6 43.1 77.3 57.7 57.7 85.6 59.7 22.0 22.0 14.8 65.1 97.3 81.1 64.1 54.2 97.7 74.0 76.3 70.2 42.9 77.0 63.4 54.8 86.9 65.1 22.2 21.4 14.4 65.2 86.2 71.4 57.9 51.3 86.1 74.3 80.2 68.0 48.9 71.6 0) 57.4 83.7 60.9 18.4 18.4 16.0 74.6 84.8 71.4 63.5 51.8 83.5 72.7 80.0 63.4 45.2 69.3 51.1 56.5 85.9 0) 19.6 18.3 14.5 68.5 84.8 70.2 58.2 54.1 87.8 75.2 81.0 66.3 46.3 68.8 60.6 55.0 87.8 60.7 18.5 17.7 14.4 70.7 85.4 76.2 60.0 51.2 97.7 87.2 81.6 70.1 50.2 70.7 63.3 54.5 89.9 70.0 20.0 19.1 14.3 75.6 83.2 71.6 61.0 51.6 90.4 77.5 79.9 68.2 49.0 70.7 0) 0) 86.7 68.2 19.6 19.6 14.3 70.2 90.2 75.9 0) 48.9 101.5 85.2 80.9 71.7 53.6 72.3 0) 0) 92.8 71.4 20.2 19.2 15.0 76.5 89.4 76.2 62.6 56.4 (i) 79.4 80.3 69.6 48.7 68.8 57.4 53.0 89.2 63.7 20.0 19.2 14.5 74.4 11.6 16.5 38.2 20.1 7.0 12.2 13.8 11.3 81.2 16.4 11.4 31.5 0) 19.6 14.2 15.4 21.4 18.1 52.8 28.9 44.2 37.7 42.6 9.7 13.7 16.6 37.0 23.3 5.6 11.4 14.4 12.0 95.3 0) 11.3 14.0 11.2 32.6 20.0 6.5 10.3 13.6 10.5 101.0 0) 8.7 13.4 14.3 44.8 20.3 5.4 10.2 13.1 10.3 98.9 0) 10.0 16.2 14.6 42.8 24.3 6.6 11.0 14.1 11.2 114.1 (0 10.9 13.3 15.4 48.4 22.1 5.8 ll.fl 14.4 11.0 86.8 0) 10.2 13.2 10.9 33.6 21.3 5.8 1/0.6 13. 4 9.6 89.9 0) 8.4 11.6 17.7 53.9 0) 8.3 12.5 15.5 12.1 80.8 (0 0) 34.0 0) 21.2 17.2 18.2 21.2 18.3 56.1 33.8 49.0 40.8 42.6 10.8 12.8 16.8 56.5 0) 6.0 10.6 12.8 10.4 81.9 0) 11.8 11.4 16.7 46.2 0) 5.8 9.5 11.6 10.6 82.6 0) 12.5 13.2 17.7 39.7 23.1 5.6 9.9 10.2 10.3 90.2 Q) 14.7 27.2 0) 19.6 14.3 321.5 19.8 24.6 53.0 31.9 43.0 39.9 40.7 9.2 12.4 18.6 45.8 0) 7.1 11.2 13.7 11.0 87.3 0) (0 31.5 0) 19.2 17.0 325.8 20.5 24.3 53.6 34.0 44.0 40.7 41.4 9.9 31.2 (0 18.7 15.1 15.2 0) 0) 52.1 28.7 0) 40.7 39.5 9.4 29.3 0) 20.0 (0 15.2 20.0 21.2 54.3 29.1 40.9 42.8 40.9 8.9 1Not available. Insufficient number of reports secured during the year. 2 Costs of fresh and/or frozen fish are included in the index, but average prices are not computed. WEST SOUTH CEN TRAL 31.1 (0 20.1 15.6 14.1 22.3 23.3 51.9 0) 41.9 35.6 40.4 9.3 30.7 0) 19.3 17.1 14.4 21.6 24.8 52.5 31.4 42.9 36.4 42.1 9.1 31.1 (0 20.6 16.2 14.0 22.0 20.3 51.0 31.2 42.4 41.0 42.5 9.3 3No. 23^ can. 32.4 0) 20.6 13.3 15.8 21.9 20.8 55.4 29.5 43.5 41.4 41.5 8.8 31.1 0) 19.2 14.1 18.0 0) 19.5 54.9 29.4 42.1 39.9 42.5 9.8 31.8 0) 18.1 15.3 321.5 20.5 18.9 53.9 32.0 44.4 39.8 45.5 10.2 10.8 17.4 18.6 0) 39.6 54.6 0) 6.1 0)8.2 1Q.7 12.1 9.3 11.6 10.8 11.5 94.8 87.8 0) 0) 0) 0) 29.5 29.5 0) 0) 20.8 19.6 15.0 14.8 322.1 324.8 18.4 20.3 24.3 23.7 53.8 54.2 35.0 34.1 46.1 45.0 41.2 39.3 42.8 43.6 9.3 9.8 Appendix Brief Description of Retail Food Price Index June 1946.3 At that time the size of the sample of independent stores in each city was changed so as to be equal to the square root of the total num ber of independent food stores operating in the city. This relationship was employed since the ratio necessary to obtain stable average prices in a small city is higher than is necessary for a large metropolitan area. A complete listing of all independent stores in each of the 56 cities was classified according to type of commodities handled—combination stores (groceries and meats), groceries only, meats only, produce markets, etc. The listing for each store type was further classified by sales volume class— under $50,000, $50,000 and under $250,000, and $250,000 and over annual sales volume. Stores were further distributed within city areas and a random selection then made within each area to fulfill the sample requirements. The result was a self-weighting sample of independent stores based on current distribution of total independent store sales in each city. The Bureau continued to include all important chain stores in each city. The Retail Pood Price Index, a component of the Consumers’ Price Index, measures average changes in retail prices of a fixed list of foods of constant quantity and quality, bought mod erate-income families in large cities. This is in line with the general purpose of the Consumers’ Price Index of measuring how much more or less it costs at one time than at another to purchase a fixed list of goods.1 The index is not designed to measure how much more it costs to live in one city than in another.2 Retail food prices were first collected in 1903, when the Bureau’s representatives obtained prices for the years 1890 through 1903 from grocers’ records. At that time, 30 foods were priced in 171 representative cities in 33 States. Since then changes in the lists of foods and in the number of cities have been made, with the number of foods varying between 16 and 87 and the number of cities between 39 and 171. The base period, col lection and computation methods, and techniques have also changed from time to time. Currently the Bureau publishes retail prices of 50 foods in 56 cities. Each month about 80,000 quotations are collected from 1,650 independent stores and 150 chain organizations representing 6,500 chain stores, or a total of about 8,150 stores. Collection of Prices The Bureau collects retail prices of 50 foods in each of the 56 large cities included in its Retail Food Price Index, during the first 3 days of the week containing the fifteenth of the month. Local Bureau representatives collect retail food prices from grocers who report voluntarily. The repre sentatives are provided with a description (speci fication) of the quality for which price quotations are desired. Within the range of each specifica tion, they are instructed to secure a price for the type, brand, etc. that is sold in greatest volume in each store. Specifications are defined precisely enough to insure a meaningful average price and avoid movement in the index because of shifts in the quality priced from one period to the next. They are also broad enough, within limitations, to provide an adequate number of quotations and to allow for city and regional differences in grades, types, package sizes, etc. Store Sample Selection In selecting the sample of stores for food price reports, the Bureau has taken into account type of store in terms of foods handled, size of store as measured by sales volume, and geographic loca tion within the city. Revisions in store samples are made from time to time, to maintain the accuracy of the Bureau’s food price index. The latest complete sample revision took place between September 1945 and 1 A detailed discussion of the Consumers’ Price Index will be presented in a forthcoming bulletin, Consumers' Prices in the United States, 1942-48 (Bull. 966). The index as it was computed through 1941 is described in Changes in Cost of Living in Large Cities in the United States 1913-41 (Bull. 699). 2 A special study of differences in costs between cities is presented in The City Worker’s Family Budget in the Monthly Labor Review, February 1948 (also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1909). * See Store Samples for Retail Food Prices in Monthly Labor Review for January 1947; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1878. (14) 15 Prices are obtained for items found to be most important in wage earned family budgets as shown by a comprehensive study in 1934-36. The selection of the index items also takes into account similarity of price changes, since it is impossible for the Bureau to collect prices for all of the many foods purchased by families. Price movements of foods not included in the monthly surveys are imputed to those of other foods or food groups showing similar price trends, by means of allocation of weights. Processing Each month, the Bureau’s field representatives return their pricing schedules to the Washington office, where they are edited carefully for conform ance to the required specifications; conversions to uniform quantity unit are made as necessary, and weighting factors are entered in preparation for machine tabulation. The data are then processed by machine tabulation. The Retail Food Price Index is a fixed-baseweighted-aggregate index. Weighting factors are used to maintain appropriate relationships, (1) among chain stores (outlet weights), (2) between chain and independent stores (chain-independent ratio), (3) among foods in each city (consumption weights), and (4) among cities (population weights). Average prices for each food in each city are computed separately for chain and independent stores. Weighting factors (called outlet weights) based on annual volume sales of retail reporters are used in calculating average prices for chain stores within each city. A simple average of independent store prices is obtained, since the sample was selected to be a self-weighting sample. Chain and independent average prices for a city are combined by use of chain-independent ratios to obtain average prices for the city. This chainindependent ratio is based on the percentage of total food sales in a city made by chains and by independent stores. Consumption weights (called quantity weight ing factors) for each city are applied to the indi vidual food prices to give them their correct pro portions in the city’s group and all-foods indexes. These weights are based on consumer expenditure data obtained in 1934-36. The resulting weighted aggregates are combined to obtain indexes for the major food groups and for all foods combined. City population weights are employed in obtain ing average prices and indexes for 56 cities com bined. These weights are based on the population of the metropolitan area containing the city in which prices are collected and that of cities in the same region and size class. Adjustments in these population weights were made in February 1943 in accordance with Census Bureau estimates of changes in population from April 1940 to May 1942, based on the registrations for the sugarration book. Table A shows the population weights now in use. Relative Importance The relative importance 4of the individual foods in the over-all index is computed and released by the Bureau once each year. These relative importance figures are percentage distributions of the values of the individual foods in the index as of a certain date. The values are obtained by multiplying the quantity consumption weights by the average prices for the specified date. Thus, the relative importance figures are not weights in themselves. They change from time to time as prices for the various foods change at different rates, since the consumption weights used in their computation remain constant. Table B presents a tabulation of foods priced, individually and by groups, and relative import ance (percentage) of each in the all-foods index for 56 large cities combined, for the base period (1935-39), December 1947, and December 1948. Revisions In order to maintain the accuracy of the index, special tests and surveys from which revisions may develop, are made from time to time. Some of the more important recent revisions are de scribed below. Adjustments to wartime and then to postwar conditions were made in March 1943 and Feb ruary 1946. In March 1943,5*quantity weights of 27 foods were reduced in line with anticipated 4 See Consumers’ Price Index: Relative Importance of Components, in the Monthly Labor Review for August 1948; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1933. 8 See Bureau of Labor Statistics Cost-of-Living Index in Wartime, in the Monthly Labor Review for July 1943; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1545. 16 1943 supplies available to consumers under rationing regulations, and weights of 26 less scarce commodities were increased. At the same time 7 foods were added to the index. The chain-independent store ratio was revised on the basis of latest available estimates of changes in volume of food sold through chains and inde pendent stores. Five cities were added to the index, increasing the total number from 51 to 56. The population weights were changed to take into account the marked shifts in population during wartime. In February 1946,6 the Retail Food Price Index was again revised to eliminate the special wartime adjustments. Prewar consumption weights were restored, with minor adjustments to retain the 7 items added to the index in 1943, and outlet weights within cities were changed, using the latest sales volume data available. The computation of average prices for chain and independent stores, separately, was initiated at this time. Formerly the ratio between the two types of stores was used in computing city averages but the computation procedure did not maintain the fixed ratio when the number of quotations varied from period to period. The revised procedure was an improvement in that the stability of the aver ages would be affected less by short supplies, since the chain-independent ratio would remain fixed, even though some reporters were unable to furnish price quotations every collection date because of food shortages. During this revision some changes in editing were also introduced. The sample of stores was considered large enough that minor changes in the sample of stores or shifts from one brand to another within specification did not require adjust ment for comparability in computing indexes. Index numbers for individual items which were begun at this time are used in obtaining per centage changes, rather than prices, since major differences in the sample and in specifications are still taken care of in the index by linking. After February 1946, sales taxes were no longer included in the published average prices, but were incorporated in the index for each city. Average prices in cities having sales taxes were reduced by the amount of tax formerly included. The last major revision took place in August 1947,8 when the list of foods included in the index 7 was reduced from 62 to 50, a new subgroup for meats (excluding poultry and fish) was added and the number of quotations from independent stores for dry groceries and staples was reduced. This reduction did not materially affect the accuracy of the average prices because of the small amount of price variation from store to store for these foods. As procedures change and revisions are made, indexes are linked (made equal in a given month) so that changes arising from the mechanics of revisions do not alter the level of the index and it continues to reflect price movements only. Publications Retail food price data are issued regularly as follows: 8 See Store Samples for Retail Food Prices, in the Monthly Labor Review for January 1947; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1878. 7 See Revision of Retail Food Price Index in August 1947, in the Monthly Labor Review for October 1948; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1941. 1. Consumers’ Price Index and Retail Food Prices (monthly—mimeographed). 2. Retail Food Prices by cities (monthly— mimeographed). 3. Retail Food Prices by Cities—Annual Averages (annually—mimeographed). 4. Monthly Labor Review (monthty)5. Retail Prices of Food (annually). 17 T able A.—Population weights used in computing retail food prices and indexes for 56 cities combined City Weight 56 cities combined__ ___________ Atlanta, Ga_____________________ Baltimore, Md ___ _____________ Birmingham, A la __ ___________ Boston, Mass ____ ___________ Bridgeport, Conn________ ______ Buffalo, N. Y....................................... Butte, Mont. - _______________ Cedar Rapids, Iowa__ ___________ Charleston, S. C ________________ Chicago, 111 __ _______________ Cincinnati, Ohio___ _____________ Cleveland, Ohio _ _____ ________ Columbus, Ohio _ _____________ Dallas, Tex.......................... ............ Denver, Colo___________________ Detroit, Mich__________________ Fall River, Mass________________ Houston, Tex.................... ................. City Weight City Percent Indianapolis, Ind________________ Jacksonville, Fla_____ ___________ Kansas City, Mo________________ Knoxville, Tenn __ _________ Little Rock, Ark................................. Los Angeles, Calif............................... Louisville, Ky _______________ Manchester, N. H ........................... Memphis, Tenn........... ...................... Milwaukee, Wis_________ _______ Minneapolis, Minn............................ Mobile, A la........................................ Newark, N. J __ ________ ______ New Haven, Conn._____________ New Orleans, La....................... ......... New York, N. Y................................ Norfolk, Va........................................ Omaha, Nebr_________ _________ Percent Peoria, 111______________________ "Philariftlphia Pa Pittsburgh, Pa__________________ Portland, M aine.___ ___________ Portland, Oreg_________________ Providence, R. I.................................. Richmond, Va .. _________ ____ _ Rochester, N. Y................................. St. Louis, Mo__ . ................ ............ St. Paul, Minn.................................... Salt Lake City, Utah...'__________ San Francisco, Calif............................ Savannah, Ga..................................... Scranton, Pa....................................... Seattle, Wash....................................... Springfield, 111............................... . Washington, D. C............................... Wichita, Kans............................... Winston-Salem, N. C....... ................. 100.0 1.3 1.8 1.7 4.9 .6 1.6 .1 .1 .4 8.1 1.8 3.6 1.3 1.8 .8 6.1 .4 2.1 1.2 .2 1.1 1.3 .3 .2 5.6 1.0 .1 .5 1.7 1.1 .3 1.6 2.1 1.1 11.8 .7 1.1 Weight Percent 0.4 7.2 4.2 .2 .7 .8 .8 2.3 2.5 .6 .3 3.1 .2 .9 1.3 .6 1.9 .3 .2 T able B.—List of foods and relative importance of individual foods and groups of foods included in the Retail Food Price Index, in the base period (1985-39), December 1947, and December 1948 Food All foods................................................. ........ Cereals and bakery products........................... Cereals: Flour, wheat. _ _ ___ Macaroni........................................ . Corn flakes.......................................... Corn meal......................................... Rice__________________________ Rolled oats_____________________ Bakery products: Bread, w hite_____ _____________ Bread, whole wheat __________ Bread, rye _ ___ ____________ Vanilla cookies ________ _______ Soda crackers .. _______________ Meats, poultry, and fish_________________ Meats____________________________ Beef: Round steak_____________ Rib roast _____ _____________ Chuck roast.................................. Hamburger...... ........................... Veal: Cutlets. Pork: Chops........................................... Bacon, sliced............................... Ham, whole____________ ___ Salt pork_____ _____ ________ Lamb: Leg................................................ Rib chops________ _________ Poultry: Roasting chickens..................... Fish ........................................... Fish (fresh, frozen)............ ................. Salmon, pink________________ ___ Dairy products________________________ Butter____________________________ Cheese........................................................ Milk, fresh (delivered). _____________ Milk, fresh (grocery) ._ __ __ __ Milk, evaporated....................................... Eggs, fresh....................................................... 1935-39 Decem Decem ber ber average 1947 1948 Percent 100.0 15.6 1.8 1.0 1.4 .3 0) (8) 6.7 .8 1.2 1.8 .6 28.2 22.4 3.8 4.6 1.7 (s) 1.9 3.5 1.9 2.2 .3 1.2 1.3 3.3 2.5 1.7 .8 19.1 5.4 1.6 3 11.1 (3) 1.0 5.5 1 Not included in index. 3 Not given separately for delivered and grocery milk. Percent 100.0 13.8 (3)2.5 .5 .4 .3 ,7 7.8 (s) (3) 1.6 (3) 30.8 24.6 4. 2 3.9 1.8 1.6 1.9 3.4 2.3 2.3 .5 2.7 (3)2.9 3.3 2.2 1.1 19.1 7.0 1.7 6.7 2.8 .9 6.3 Percent 100.0 13.9 (3) 2.1 .5 .4 .3 .7 8.1 (3) (3) 1.8 (3) 32.8 26.1 4.7 4.3 2.0 1.9 2.2 3.4 2.0 2.3 .4 2.9 (3) 3.2 3.5 2.2 1.3 18.8 5.6 1.8 6.1 4.2 1.1 5.8 1935-39 Decem Decem ber ber average 1947 1948 Food FruitsVandfrnitc cmH vp^htahloQ "KaqV vegetables.......... ........................... i X 1Uoil xl Uibo auU VbcfcUivsO Fresh fruits: Apples............................... ......... Bananas............................. ..... Oranges......................................... Fresh vegetables: Beans, green................................. Cabbage........................................ Carrots____ ________________ Lettuce....... ........... ...................... Onions......................................... Potatoes....................................... Spinach....................................... Sweetpotatoes.________ ______ Canned fruits and vegetables................... Canned fruits: Peaches......................................... Pineapple....... ............................. Canned vegetables: Corn............................................ Peas...... ....................................... Tomatoes...................................... Dried fruits and vegetables....................... Dried fruits: Prunes ____ _____ _ Dried vegetables: Navy beans________ ____ ___ Beverages......................................................... Coffee.......................................................... Tea.............................................................. Fats and oils.................................................... Lard........................................................... Other shortening______________ ___ Hydrogenated shortening......................... Mayonnaise................................................ Salad dressing............................................ Margarine................................................. Peanut butter............................................. Sugar and sweets............................................. Sugar ____ _ _ Percent 21.6 16.5 2.1 1.4 3.4 .8 .7 .9 1.7 1.1 3.2 .8 .4 4.1 .6 .4 .7 .9 1.5 1.0 .6 .4 3.4 2.6 .8 3.2 1.1 .7 (3) .9 (3) .3 .2 3.4 3.4 Percent 20.6 16.1 2.2 1.7 2.0 .7 .8 1.5 1.4 1.3 3.4 .7 .4 3.1 .4 .4 Percent 19.6 15.2 2.4 1.8 2.3 .7 .5 .9 1.4 .8 3.2 .7 .5 3.2 .5 .4 .6 .4 1.3 1.4 .7 .7 2.9 2.9 (3) 3.5 (3)1.3 (8) .6 .8 .8 (3) 3.0 3.0 3Not priced. U. S . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1949 .6 .4 1.3 1.2 (3) .7 .5 3.0 3.0 3.2 1.0 (3) .6 (3) .9 .7 (8) 2.9 2.9
