SELF-SERVING IN RETAILING FOOD PRODUCTS. 25 
of which has required considerable effort. This substitution is most 
difficult to accomplish under self -service, but when made for a just 
purpose and when the proper methods are used is likely to be more 
successful than when done under similar conditions in the average 
service store. 
GRADING. 
That the grade or quality of all bulk goods, such as dried fruits, 
rice, coffee, cheese, and butter, may be readily distinguished, careful 
grading is necessary. In many cases the quality in any one grade 
need not be entirely uniform, except in so far as that grade can or can 
not be readily distinguished from another grade of the same com- 
modity. The general principle of careful grading is applicable to 
any distribution of foodstuffs, because it makes for customers satis- 
faction and is fair to all concerned, but it is discussed here as the 
means to facilitate price recognition on the part of the cashiers and 
checkers. 
There is no difficulty in recognizing different kinds of merchandise, 
but there is difficulty in recognizing different grades where they are 
not differentiated by brand or labels but are ascertained only from 
inspection of the article itself. This applies to those bulk goods 
that are put up for sale in plain paper bags. Usually the price of 
each package is written on the bag itself. Of course, the grade must 
be ascertainable by the customer, and the various methods used for 
this purpose will be discussed under " Display." But when the 
package has been removed from its place on the shelf, where its loca- 
tion identifies its grade, there must be some means of definitely 
determining that grade from the package itself. The writing of the 
grade on each package involves the expenditure of too much time. 
Where two or more grades of the same commodity are for sale, the 
placing of the different prices on each package should suffice. But 
if any question arises as to the correctness of the price, the grading 
should have been done with such care that the question can be de- 
cided by a mere glance at the contents. This not only requires care- 
ful grading, but the elimination of closely associated grades. 
In many stores operating under self-service this difficulty is avoided 
by the carrying of only one grade of these commodities. To make 
this solution successful, the grade must be selected that will most 
fully supply the demands of the majority of the customers. This 
selection requires careful study. Particular attention must be paid 
to the possibility of maintaining this grade, which is a problem for 
the store's buyer to solve. In fact, the limiting of a large percentage 
of this class of commodities to one grade is far from satisfactory. 
The grading of fruits and vegetables, which is even more exacting 
than that of the products already mentioned, will be taken up in 
the section on " Perishable farm products." 
78619°— 22 4 
