Quality comparisons for individual factors showed some variations between 

 the packages and bulk fruit and between refrigerated and nonre frige rated dis- 

 plays (appendix, tables 10, 13, and Ik). These variations tended to counteract 

 each other, as shown by salability rating (appendix, table 15). Generally, the 

 maintenance of quality of apples and oranges was about equal for all packages 

 tested and was no better for the refrigerated display than for the nonrefrig- 

 erated display when held for only 7 days. The salability of fruit displayed in 

 bulk was also approximately equal to the fruit displayed in packages j however, 

 it is improbable that similar results for bulk fruit would be obtained in actual 

 practice because fruit in bulk displays is handled by customers. 



Displays for Grapefruit and Medium- Size Oranges 



Grapefruit 



Sales of grapefruit varied considerably among the three methods tested, 

 but differences were not statistically significant (table 2). 



Table 2. — Average weekly grapefruit sales per store for selected types of 



displays in six supermarkets, Minneapolis -St. Paul, Minn., October-November 

 1958 



Type of display l/ 



! Store 



group 2/ 



' Average 



; i 



: II : 



• < 





Number of 

 units 



Number of 

 units 



219 

 153 



2l£ 



Number of 

 units 





220 

 223 



j 310 



219 

 188 



Combination package 



263 





l/ Polyethylene bags containing 6 grapefruit used in 100 percent packaged 

 and combination displays with the fruit priced in units of 6. 

 2/ Three stores in each group. 



The fact that the rather large differences in sales among test methods were 

 not statistically significant means that the variation in sales within each of 

 the methods equaled or exceeded the differences among the three methods. This 

 variation in sales within test methods is evident in the group totals. It may 

 be noted in table 2 that sales in group 1 favored the combination display by a 

 wide margin. In group II, sales were higher when fruit was displayed in pack- 

 ages than when it was displayed either in combination or bulk alone. Because 

 of this inconsistency in sales, exemplified by the wide variation in sales with- 

 in test methods in some stores, it is not possible to conclude from the findings 

 of this experiment which of the three display types would maximize grapefruit 

 sales . 



- 10 - 



