(Table 16). The firms which handled the banded product exclusively

complained that produce managers were lax in rotating sleeved celery;

several cited better quality control as the major benefit of band-

ing. Others said that banded celery created a "bulk" image that

stimulates impulse buying. One mentioned ease of reworking as an

important plus for banding, and another was afraid of consumer resis-

tance to bags that tend to "hide something."


Table 16.--Study firms' retail celery packaging preferences, by
 market area

 Type of Retail Packaging Total
 Market Area Band Sleeve Band and/ Firms
 Exclusively Exclusively or Sleeve Interviewed
 -------------No. of Firms------------

Philadelphia 2 2 3 7

Boston 1 0 7 8

Detroit 1 3 2 6

 Total 4 5 12 21

alncludes two full-service wholesalers with considerable retail con-
tact, one in Philadelphia, and one in Detroit.

 Two firms in Philadelphia and three in Detroit retailed sleeved

celery exclusively, either pre-sleeved or store-sleeved. There were

none in Boston. The most frequent reason given for retailing sleeved

celery was improved shelf-life which results in less shrinkage and

reworking. One felt the packaged goods in general had more consumer

appeal and another thought that housewives preferred sleeved celery

because it was cleaner, i.e., not as messy to handle and store.