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Abstract
Excerpts from the report: Retail produce departments usually account for 8 to 12 percent of retail food store sales. The labor-cost percentage in this department is one of the highest in the store. Much of this labor, in a bulk produce department, is used in displaying the produce and in materials-handling directly related to display work. Attractive produce displays add to the overall appearance of the store and create greater acceptability of the merchandise by the consumer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and develop improved produce display procedures. Detailed studies were made in several stores of 12 large corporate and voluntary retail food organizations. Numerous studies were conducted in other stores throughout the United States, and improved methods, procedures, and equipment were developed for handling produce in the backroom and display area. These improved procedures were installed in a number of stores, and detailed records were kept of production and yields. Comparisons were then made with conventional operations by means of time-study procedures.