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C—O A Ss 55508
I'he Bulletin, Mt. Joy, Pa., Thursday, September 29, 1949—7
Why Do They Want to Put
A&P Out of Business’
The answer is to be found in the formal complaint “they” have filed with the court.
By “they” we mean, of course, the anti-trust lawyers from Washington who are out
to destroy A&P.
They say . .. and these are the anti-trust lawyers’ own words... that we “have reg-
ularly undersold competing retailers.”
To this charge we plead guilty:
We confess that for the past 90 years we have constantly
stepped up the efficiency of our operations in order to give
our customers more and more good food for their money.
The American people have seen nothing wrong in this. By their ever-increasing patronage for 90 years
they have shown that they like this low-price policy,
‘Apparently the people still see nothing wrong in this today. All during the past week — since the anti-
trust lawyers made their charges — we have been deluged with phone calls and letters from men and
women in all walks of life who want us to know they are opposed to this effort to put A&E, out of
business.
'An enormous number of customers are telling our. store managers and clerks that they want to cone
tinue to enjoy our low prices for quality foods.
Farmers and other suppliers are asking what they, can do to preserve this efficient outlet for, their.
products.
Our 110,000 employees are asking us to protect their jobs and pensions,
I RS
Labor leaders are wiring us their opposition to this threat to labor’s living standards.
If all these people will be hurt, why, then do the anti-trust lawyers want to put A&E, out of business?)
Low Prices Don’t Hurt Anyone Do You Want Higher Prices?
’As anyone can see, the only purpose that would be served by, |
The anti-trust lawyers say because we are able to sell food cheaper;
putting A&P, out of business would be to raise food prices.
than other grocers, we make it impossible for those grocers to
compete with us.
If this were true, we should have all the food business in the
United States by this time.
Just the opposite is true. In 1933 we had 11.6 per cent of the
nation’s food business. Now, according to the anti-trust lawyers,
our share has decreased to 6.4 per cent in 1948. Anyone can see
we have nothing even approaching a monopoly. Remove A&P from the picture and food prices are
bound to go up.
‘As a matter of fact, there are about 30,000 more individual
grocers in business today than there were ten years ago. Remove A&P from the picture and the way will be
There are about 275 more food chains in business today than deared for the destruction of every other ficient
there were ten years ago.
large-scale distributor.
Who would this benefit?
We were the first merchants to set the pattern for low-cost, low-
profit distribution. Our example and our competition has led other,
grocers to keep their prices down
In other words, we have more competitors in the food field and
do a smaller share of the nation’s food business than before. Is this what the American people want?
Where is this alleged destruction of other grocers? Where is
there any evidence of their inability to compete with us?, Is this in the public interest?
THE GREAT ATLANTIC & | PACIFIC TEA COMPANY