tial commodities out of the reach of the common people Whilst the tinplate packaging industry has been suffering from these excessive levies, shortage of raw materials and "penal" treatment from the Government, new packaging materials have arrived on the scene, the prices of which have remained much more stable than tinplate prices. For example, while tinplate prices have recorded an increase of 235 per cent between 1961 and 1972, the prices of polyethylene and hoard have risen only by 39 per cent and 47 per cent respective ly. Thus an imbalance has resulted, further aggravated by 10 per cent excise on tin containers, which weighs against the tinplate package and will continue to affect the tinplate producing and converting industry; yet tin- plate is expected to remain the main packaging medium of the 1980s and beyond. Government should help industry by allowing different packaging materials to compete freely with one another on the basis of their inherent strengths and weaknesses and not by artificial pricecost differentials through fiscal measures.
