26 BULLETIN 1443, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
to the housewives was institutional in character, and was directed 
toward the development of good will for the market. Quality and 
sanitary handling of meats were the two factors which were indica- 
ted most strongly, 53.7 per cent of the 1,615 housewives of the 
American white group naming quality and 27.3 per cent of the same 
group mentioning sanitary handling, while only 8.3 per cent indica- 
ted economical prices. Other factors were named by small numbers: 
Government inspected meats, 4.5 per cent; food value, 1.7 per cent; 
variety of choice, 1.6 per cent; good service, 1.3 per cent; reliability, 
1.2 per cent; special prices, 0.4 per cent. 
But little variation was found in the extent to which housewives of 
each of the four classes of the American white group would stress 
quality in their advertising if they were the owners of meat shops, 
approximately 50 per cent of the replies in each class being quality. 
Variations in standard of living and the differences arising therefrom 
were evident in some of the answers to this question. Only 17.1 per 
cent of the housewives of the poor class would stress sanitary hand- 
ling, while 26.1 per cent of those of the middle class, 31.4 per cent of 
those of the well-to-do class, and 33.1 per cent of those of the wealthy 
class thought this phase of retailing should be given first importance 
in advertising. 
The effect of variation in income was observed in the differences in 
the relative numbers replying that they would emphasize economical 
prices. Housewives of the poor class of the American white group led 
in the number indicating this factor, 15.1 per cent of the class stating 
this answer, the middle class housewives were second with 13.9 per 
cent, while 2.6 per cent of the housewives of the well-to-do and 2.4 
per cent of those of the wealthy class would emphasize economy 
of price. . 
In the classes of the colored group the principal advertising appeals 
were those of quality and sanitary handling. 
Housewives of the Finnish, French, and Italian groups would stress 
quality much more than the housewives of other groups, over 70 per 
cent of the replies in the three groups indicating quality. 
Some variations were found in the points which would be empha- 
sized by the housewives of different cities. (Table 33.) Housewives 
of Fargo and New Orleans would stress economical prices more than 
the housewives of eight other cities. The housewives of San Fran- 
cisco would stress Government-inspected meats. With the exception 
of a few instances noted, the housewives of the 10 cities were in close 
ageement on the factors which they would advertise. 
The answers of the housewives to this question would appear to be 
of special significance. Meat, in so far as the housewife is aware of 
it, is an unbranded and ungraded product. The knowledge of meat 
grades possessed by the housewives reached by this survey was found 
to be slight and inadequate for the intelligent purchasing of meat by 
grade. The nature of the product and the lack of knowledge of quality 
and grades on the part of the housewives have resulted in reliance to 
a large degree on the integrity and dependability of the meat dealer. 
It is his proficiency in choosing the grades of meat adaptable to the 
needs of his trade on which most customers rely. Purchasers desire 
the highest quality of meats consistent with the prices which they are 
able to pay, and when they believe that quality has not been main- 
tained or that prices and quality are not in proper relation to one 
