asked the Minister for Supplies whether his attention has been called to the practice of certain manufacturers of sweets to open retail shops for the sale of their goods or to show undue preference to selected customers in the distribution of their goods and, if so, whether he will terminate this practice, particularly in view of the fact that sugar— a rationed commodity — is the principal ingredient of sweets.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Sweets.
My attention was drawn some time ago to the practices referred to by the Deputy and I have taken steps to put a stop to them. I have recently had instructions issued to all manufacturers of sweets and chocolates indicating the manner in which they should distribute their products.
These instructions provide that a manufacturer must supply to each customer a quota based on that customer's purchases in the year 1940, and that this quota must bear the same relation to the customer's purchases in 1940 as the manufacturer's present production bears to his production in that year. It is also provided that a manufacturer who has an interest in a retail shop which opened for business subsequent to 31st September, 1940, may not give any supplies whatever to that shop and that, if a manufacturer has an interest in a retail shop which opened before that date, he must supply it on exactly the same basis as that on which he supplies his other customers.