ABSTRACT
Although the food control machinery implied government trading with profit on some lines and loss on others, the customary channels of distribution continued to be used. The share of the coops in milk distribution has increased to about 25% ; they bake more than 10% of the bread and distribute 20% of the tea, 20% of the cheese, nearly 40% of the butter and over 20% of the sugar consumed in the country. It has not been gradually moulded round some powerful and highly capitalised firm which has secured a very large share of control at one stage of distribution but on the contrary has remained almost entirely in the hands of small scale enterprises. Competing with private trade is the vast cooperative organisation ; and particularly if the approach to distribution is made through the food trades, the importance and possibilities of this movement are very clear.
