Packaging and Price-Marking Produce in Retail Food Stores : A Study of Improved Methods of Marketing Agricultural Products

Excerpts from the report Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing produce packaging and price-marking procedures and to develop and test improved equipment, packaging and pricing methods, workplace arrangement, packaging materials, and work organization. Detailed studies were made in several stores belonging to each of 8 retail food chains. Additional studies of a more limited nature were made of specific produce procedures in numerous other stores throughout the United States. Motion and time studies were made of each produce item or class of items with common handling techniques, to determine the time requirements for all the elements in the packaging function. Cost analysis and yield studies were made to evaluate materials used in produce departments. The methods, equipment, layouts, and materials reported here were developed, tested, and installed in stores of the cooperating retail food chains. It is believed that the research results reported in this study will afford most operators an opportunity to lower their packaging and price-marking costs even though they may be packaging a limited number of items.