98 THE MARKETING OF WHOLE MILK 



In the second place, milk demands delivery at a fairly 

 regular hour in the day, because of its perishability and 

 because of the fact that most people use milk more at cer- 

 tain meals than at others, for example, at breakfast with 

 cereals. Milk is probably more regularly used in this 

 country than any other equally perishable food. Stores 

 do not ordinarily make deliveries with sufficient regularity. 



The cash-and-carry system does not solve the problem, 

 since many persons are not in a position to go to a store 

 for their milk and have no one whom they could send. 

 The very fact that milk is so regularly needed would make 

 the cash-and-carry plan irksome to most persons. "^ 



Just as above we reached the conclusion that the store 

 cannot be eliminated from the milk distribution service, 

 since it performs definite and necessary functions, so we 

 must further conclude that it cannot with advantage take 

 over the entire retail distribution of whole milk. 



Since the store can neither be wholly eliminated from 

 the milk distribution service nor yet take over the entire 

 service, what shall be our attitude towards it? A careful 



' "Where the consumer relies on the grocery store, there is a tendency toward 

 irregularity of milk consumption which is not good for the producer, the dealer, 

 or the consumer. I sent a special investigator to every city in the United States 

 that was trying 'the cash-and-carry plan' and I found invariably that among 

 those consumers who relied on the grocery stores for their milk there was a 

 marked irregularity of consumption with an average consumption below that 

 prevailing in those districts where milk was regularly delivered. This increased 

 consumption from the delivery of milk to the consumer direct is another reason 

 why milk should be delivered regularly from the retail wagon rather than 

 irregularly through grocery stores. The mother is sick, the children are late for 

 school, — at the very time when milk is most needed it will not be at hand. . . . 

 Of course, there must always be some grocery store trade, but this will be an 

 accommodation which will be paid by consumers using it but not by all of the 

 consumers in any district for those who do use it." Grand Jury Report of 

 Franklin County, Ohio, March, 1920, quoting Dr. Clyde L. King, who had 

 made a study of the Columbus evidence. 



