On This Day, 8 February 1916

Birmingham Mail

Tuesday 8th February 1916

MUCH SUGAR WASTED
LEFT IN THE BOTTOM OF CUPS

A Birmingham sugar merchant, when he had his attention drawn this afternoon to the report of the Commission, said, of course, the effect of a further restriction of foreign supplies would be to send up the price. Then there was, he feared, the prospect of a further tax. At present there was no foreign sugar at all, for without the raw sugar the English refiners could not meet demands. At present lump sugar was 40s. cwt., and American granulated whilst nominally 35.s 9d., Liverpool, was worth anything that could be got for it.
Speaking of the use of sugar by the ordinary private consumer, the merchant said there was a tremendous lot wasted by tea and coffee drinkers. They left much of it undissolved at the bottom of their cups, wasting as much as they really consumed. Incidentally, the wastage might be small, but in the aggregate it amounted to a big total.