COMPETITION KEEN IN SOAPS AND DETERGENTS

Abstract

. . . The life history of these products, starting sometimes from the soil via cattle or living plants or sometimes from petroleum wells, naturally takes one or a variety of paths. When the final stage of distribution to the public is reached, the three major distributors in this field find themselves offering both types of products in competition with themselves as well as with their competitors. That sounds complex, but so are the advertising and distribution of soaps and synthetic detergents. Soap Production In the immediate postwar years soap production remained nearly static at slightly over 3 billion pounds, increased demand being tempered by the ever-rising prices which reflected increase in base-stock costs. Following a short relapse in 1948, the inevitable break in raw material costs came dramatically in 1949. Thus, inedible tallow was 18 cents a pound in late 1948 and 6 cents in late 1949. This break resulted from tremendous over-production, which ...