notably high-priced markets j the ratio of sales by types of packs is 

 reversed. Solid pack, white meat, is by far the best seller in the 

 ratio of from 2:1 to as high as 9:1. In many instances, it is appar- 

 ent that the solid packs are purchased for no other reason than that 

 it is assumed the higher the price the better the product. There is, 

 however, a slow but steady trend away from this type of consumer 

 purchase . 



Llany consumers buy certain types of packs because of habit. Hav- 

 ing once found a product to suit their tastes, they are reluctant to 

 change. Often, however, there is no ready explanation for consumer 

 preferences; or if there is one, the reason is lost in antiquity. 

 This can best be illustrated by the public preference for brown shell- 

 ed eggs in Boston and white shelled eggs in New York. 



The Food and Drug Administration's consumer survey previously 

 referred to, containing some information on this subject of consumers' 

 familiarity with the various styles of canned tuna packs. Some of the 

 questions asked and the replies of the Z4.II9 responses tabulated were 

 as follows: 



1. In the last two years have you used canned tuna fish 

 in your home? 



Yes - 4,004 No - 115 



2. 'iVhat forms of canned tuna have you bought? 



Solid pack ~ 2,953 Flakes 1,521 



Grated 1,472 Chunks 2,373 



Other forms — 47 Mixed light 



and dark 65O 



3. Have you found any of the information on labels of canned 

 tuna hard to understand? 



Yes - 205 No - 3,274 



4. If you have found labels hard to understand, what state- 

 ment on the label was not clear to you? 



Replies indicated that they were often confused about 

 the meaning of the word "albacore." 



Mr. i//alter Richards (Richards, Walter, 1952), reports that of 

 those interviewed in a recent survey conducted in southern California 



77 



