SELF-SERVING IN RETAILING FOOD PRODUCTS. 27 



The components of the first two groups need no explanation. The 

 third group contains those articles put up by the manufacturer in 

 cardboard or paper cartons, and the fourth, those bought by the 

 store in bulk, but put in packages in the store itself. The sixth 

 group is not limited to cold-storage goods, but includes those fresh 

 goods which keep better in a cool place, such as eggs and butter — all 

 goods to be found in the display refrigerators. The fifth and seventh 

 groups need no explanations. 



Under such an arrangement the customer has little difficulty in 

 locating the articles desired. If one of the commodities is put up 

 in cans, he proceeds to the canned-goods shelves, and if he does not 

 find the article there, he feels reasonably certain that it is not in 

 stock at the time. 



The merchandise'can be further subdivided into groups containing 

 different brands of the same product, or groups of closely associated 

 products. This is only the natural arrangement of the articles in 

 the group, which any grocer would make. He would not place a 

 certain brand of canned milk at one end of the canned-goods group 

 and another brand at the other end, but would place all canned milk 

 in the same section. A partial subdivision of the first group (canned 

 goods) might be made as follows: 



A. Milk. F. Sirups and molasses. 



B. Vegetables. G. Baking powders. 



C. Meats. H. Oils. 



D. Fish. I. Cooking fats. 



E. Fruits. 



In a few cases it would be found impracticable to carry this group- 

 ing out to the letter. For example, chocolate is put up in both cans 

 and cartons, and it might not be advisable to separate the two. In 

 this case they could all be placed either under the canned-goods or 

 package-goods group. If these two groups were adjoining each other 

 on the shelf, it might be well to place such articles in a small section 

 between the two groups. In this way there would be little danger of 

 the customer overlooking them. 



The actual location of groups, whether on tables or shelves, is a 

 matter that can be decided by each operator according to his own 

 conditions and ideas. Many self-serve stores have their canned and 

 package goods on one side of the store and the bottled goods, together 

 with the fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other side. The tables 

 may be used for any class of merchandise, the general practice being 

 to use them in connection with advertising. About the only im- 

 portant feature of the arrangement which should be followed under 

 all conditions is that of placing the lighter articles near the entrance 

 and the heavier ones near the exit. The reasons for such an arrange- 



