Excerpts from the report: The data for this study on the role of coupons and special offers in influencing the demand for butter, margarine, shortening, and salad and cooking oils were obtained from a sample of 555 families in Chicago selected from a panel maintained by the Family Survey Bureau, Chicago Tribune Company, who reported their purchases of food products continuously, July 1953 to June 1955. The overall objective of this study was to appraise the influence of consumer deals on the sales of four agricultural products--butter, margarine, shortening, and salad and cooking oils. In recent years, these products have accounted for about 80 percent of the total fats and oils consumed in food. The areas investigated in pursuing the overall objective were: (1) The extent of consumer participation in deals; (2) the characteristics of those families who were most prone to avail themselves of deals; (3) the effect of deals on total volume purchased; and (4) the interproduct substitutions, if any, as a result of deals.