MARGINS, EXPENSES, AND PROFITS IN RETAILING MEAT 43 
and unweighted figures. The weighted profit percentage was 3.3G 
and the unweighted, 3.21, a decrease of 0.12 per cent in the un- 
weighted. 
Table 16. — Comparison of margins, expenses, and profits in individual retail 
meat markets for 1919 and 1923 x 
1919 and 
1919 and 
1919 and 
1923 values 
at retail 
of meats of 
$100 retail 
value 
in 1913 2 
1923 
margins, 
1923 
margins, 
1919 and 
1923 
expenses, 
expenses, 
margins, 
Item 
Year 
and profits 
expressed 
and profits 
incurred 
expenses, 
and profits 
as per- 
in selling 
corrected 
centages of 
meats 
to 1913 
sales for 
worth $100 
basis 
each year 
in 1913 
Carry stores: 
Per cent 
Gross margin.. 
1919 
$184.00 
17.90 
$32. 94 
$17. 71 
Do _ 
1923 
149.00 
22.00 
32.78 
18.11 
Total expense ... 
1919 
184. 00 
15.01 
27.62 
14.85 
Do 
1923 
149. 00 
18.64 
27.77 
15.34 
Profit . . . . ... 
1919 
1923 
184.00 
149.00 
2.89 
3.36 
5.32 
5.01 
2.86 
Do. ... 
2.77 
Deliverv stores: 
Gross margin _______ ... 
1919 
184.00 
19.63 
36.12 
19.42 
Do 
1923 
1919 
149.00 
184.00 
23.84 
16.81 
35.52 
30.93 
19.62 
Total expense .. .-________ 
16.63 
Do. ___ 
1923 
1919 
1923 
149.00 
184.00 
149.00 
21.28 
2.82 
2.56 
31.71 
5.19 
3.81 
17.52 
Profit . 
2.79 
Do 
2. 10 
i The 1919 figures used here are from the results of a survey of the retail meat trade conducted by the 
department. The same methods of weighting used in determining the 1919 averages have for the purposes 
of this comparison been applied to the averages determined in the 1923 study. The averages for 1923, 
therefore, will not be the same as those shown elsewhere in this publication. The total expense and profit 
figures shown here for 1919 vary from those published in Department Bulletin No. 1317, as interest has been 
subtracted from expense and added to profit. Also the limited and unlimited delivery groups for the 1923 
survey have been combined into one general deliveiT group, in order that comparison might be made with 
the averages of the delivery group for 1919. 
2 Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Indices of Retail Meat Prices. 
Variation between the weighted and unweighted gross margin 
and total expense percentages in the delivery group for the year 1923 
were not as wide as those of the carry group. The weighted and 
unweighted gross margin, total expense, and profit percentages 
follow, the weighted percentages being stated first: Gross margin, 
23.84 and 23.81; total expense, 21.28 and 20.90; and profit 2.56 
and 2.91. 
Gross margin, total expense, and profit percentages were the items 
compared for the tw r o surveys. The primary means of comparison 
was the annual index of retail meat prices for the United States, pre- 
pared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor. 
The commodities included in this index are sirloin steak, round steak, 
rib roast, chuck roast, plate beef, pork chops, bacon, ham, hens, and 
leg of lamb. In this index, the cost at retail of certain quantities of 
these commodities equaled 100 in 1913. On the basis of this index, 
the 184 shown as the index of retail meat prices for 1919 may be 
interpreted as meaning that a quantity of these cuts of meat selling 
for $100 at retail prices in 1913 had a Value of $184 in 1919, whereas 
for the year 1923 the corresponding value had declined to $149. 
The index of retail meat prices for each year was considered as 
expressed in dollars and was multiplied by the average gross margin 
percentage in carry stores for each year. " The average gross margin 
percentage in carry stores during 1919 was 17.9 per cent of net sales. 
