The Chronicle

GWELO, Friday, November 10, 1967— Why Gwelo are butchers charging much less for certain cuts than butchers in Bulawayo and Salisbury ?A leading Gwelo butcher said: “The answer to that is simple. There is too much competition in Gwelo.”

“I don’t say that Bulawayo butchers are charging too much for meat. What I do say is that Gwelo butchers are charging too little. “He said there are 17 butchers’ licenses in force in Gwelo which including its peri-urban areas has a population of 41 000.”

It is very difficult to see how butchers here can make a profit. Sooner or later, in order that the butchers can make a reasonable living, these prices will have to be adjusted”.

The increases of about 10 per cent had as far as his shop was concerned, been taken in their stride by customers.

“They realised that there had to be a rise in the cost to them and most of them are very pleased that it is such a small increase”, he said.

There had been no noticeable change in the pattern of buying since the increases, but he felt it was too early for any such change, if there was to be one, to make itself felt.

Similar views were expressed by another butcher who said the difference in prices between Bulawayo and Gwelo could be attributed entirely to pricecutting. “There has been too much of it”, he said.

A housewife who said that she knew of several people who bought their meat in Gwelo whenever they had the opportunity — and had been doing so for a long time — said she was pleased that the increases here had been so small. “But don’t spoil it”, she said.

“Meat is the only thing you can get in Gwelo which is cheaper than in Bulawayo or Salisbury.”