On This Day, 28 July 1916

Birmingham Daily Post

Friday 28 July 1916 (excerpt)

THE DOMESTIC LARDER

ROUND BIRMINGHAM MARKETS

From the housewife’s point of view, the food market is very unsatisfactory just now. A rise has to be recorded in many commodities, and it is expected that very shortly other foodstuffs will go up in price. For some time past the quotation for best English bacon (sliced) has been 1s. 4d. a pound, but an advance is expected any time. There is a plentiful supply of inferior quality bacon, but this does not find much favour, the explanation given being that, owing to the high wages and the consequent reluctance to economise, the demand is for the better-class article. The public have some cause to complain at the high price charged for eggs. A merchant informed a representative of the “Daily Post” there is no justification for the present price of five for a shilling charged by most shop keepers. “It is true,” he said, “we are getting towards the time of year when the price naturally goes up, but that time has not yet come.” The country is now practically dependent for eggs upon the Irish supply. The wholesale price has been reduced because the demand is so limited. Thousands of cases of Russia eggs have arrived in England, and a small consignment has come from America. This supply however, will not affect the market. With regard to the first consignment of Russian eggs, the ships became ice-bound in the White Sea, and remained so for a considerable amount of time. As a result the eggs have deteriorated in quality, and a large proportion have been discarded as waste. The only good eggs available are Irish and Danish. Danish eggs are very dear, owing to German competition. German merchants are prepared to pay big amounts for Danish eggs, and most of the supply for exportation is sold to them. English merchants have therefore to pay the price fixed by Germany.