"Lhree-fourths did not, knew the difference between packs by name . . . 

 Those who always bought solid pack seemed to do so under the impres- 

 sion that it was very superior in quality. Not one housewife showed 

 a knowledge of the use of pack wiLh relation to recipec" This infor- 

 mation is especially revealing where it is considered that in southern 

 CsLlifornia^ where most of the American tuna industry is Iccated^ the 

 local populace wouj.d normally be expected to be better informed about 

 this product. 



All available data indica-;es a growing trend away from the solid 

 pack to other styles of packs,, particularly chunk style o This trend 

 is reflected by the sales ratios previously quoted in this section. 

 Many consumers undoubtedly turned to the chunk style pack when they 

 found they could get a product which would ser re most of their needs 

 without having to pay the higher price per can for solid psckc 



Some effort is now bei:ig made by the tuna industry and by con- 

 sumer groups to educate the coasumier with regard to styles of pack. 

 A recent report made by a consumer's group rates 16 brands of canned 

 tuna according to flavor, texture, color > etc., and also describes 

 the grades and styles of pack^ enphasizing the wisdom of purchasing 

 according to the use intended 



Institutions; restaurants, and other quantity buyers prefer the 

 solid packSu The doimestic industry produced a No. 4 tuna can pack 

 from 1938 through 1941.v and fromi 1949 to the present pri-itarily in the 

 solid style pack., However^ the volume of the domestic pack in in- 

 stitutional size cans in 19^? the year of th^ largest volume, was 

 only one percent of the entire pack of over -57 million pounds. 0/ an 

 estimated 6;500jOOO pounds of canned tuna (exclading tuncuika) im- 

 ports in 1951 in institutional size containers^ 95 percent or more 

 was solid pack» Of an estimated 2 million pounds of annual canned 

 bonito imports in institutiona] size containers for the years 1951 

 and 1952, 100 percent was solid pack. 



Consumer Demand For Tuna Products Other Than Canned 



In an attempt to learn whether demand might be stimulated or 

 markets created for tuna products other than canned tun£> inquiry 

 was made among processors^, distributors, and retailers of canned 

 tunao In ad^iltionj inquiry was also made of producers , process- 

 ors and distributors of fresh, frozen, and cured fishery products. 



78 



