To the Editor of the "Nontu-Cmita Dany News"
Sij—All this correspondence in your paper and the action of the two Councils "in control of prices is the good, "The formation of a Com= mittee of Importers should help to control undue profiteering, but" the Droblem is not necessarily simple, 'Today your paper advertises that the retail price' of Kruschen 'Salts 1s, {$8.50 per Bottle. "I went Into a small Pharmacy with' whom.T do business and was today quoted $11. On asking why this was the case T was told that the agents for this product charge pharmacy $0.03. per bottle and. the said he must add. about $2: per bottle in order to cover: this' overhead expenses, the real question arises, decide for the retailer how much pro~ fair-and reasonable?" "Is 5 per cent. on the gross supposed. enough to pay the overhead of a retail. store? 1 am told. that in 'America where this question hus been investigated... with' characteristic thoroughness it has been found that a enable a drug store ihe percentage of. profit needed' to a.drug store to keep "out of the red ig around 20 percent, to 21 per cent. on the gross. How then can 5 per cent. be considered enough, in the case of Kruschen salts? It not enough profit can be made, on any particular product on account of trol, of that product, then there danger that shops may Fefuse in ft which also would "be gait the public interest, My curiosity being aroused, 1 enquired at three pharmacies one three Broceries near Seymour Road, Bub> bling Well. "One. was quoting $9.50 fear of exposure in the press), the others ranged from $12 to $l4 por Bottle except one who, afer a tol of fumbling of papers, asived me $22, Further enquiry from my small pharmacy. showed, that' the agents lough charging my man per bottle, do" when selling to. larger pharmacies, allow a discount provid= fed that, say, 40 eases are taken at a time, ain "amount quite beyond "the power of my small friend, But all this printing of names. and prices 'Is something which inst' be watched carefully or there may be a tendency to blackmail or libel.
Shanghai, November 13.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.