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0 pointsMichaelCollins3y ago0 comments

> If the law is about loaves being too light or small, how does giving out an extra loaf to people who buy 12 help?

If the baker gives you 13 and calls it 12, that makes it harder for a greedy baker narrative to stick. It doesn't have to be logical, it's about managing impressions.

> Who is even buying 12 loaves of bread when restaurants are rare and refrigeration non-existent?

The average family used to be the size of a small army. 12 loafs of bread could be eaten in 1 or 2 days if you've got 12 hungry kids and bread is a major component of their diet.

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travisjungroth3y ago

It doesn’t add up that it would just be about managing impressions or controlling a narrative. The fact that there was a law regulating the price of loaves of bread is well recorded. Anyone selling loaves too small but also selling baker’s dozen would be in violation.

I regret trying to say buying a dozen would be uncommon. It’s more that even if they sell a dozen, of course there’d frequently be orders smaller than that.

MichaelCollinsOP3y ago

Bakers were under constant suspicion of cheating customers and the regulations. Adulterated flour was a big concern too, not just loafs too small or airy. To manage their reputations, I think bakers would rationally take any edge they can get.

morelisp3y ago

> Bakers were under constant suspicion of cheating customers and the regulations.

I once found a book of old German jokes and basically every third one the joke's essence was some kind of slander against the town miller.

travisjungroth3y ago

I totally agree that bakers would give an extra loaf to help their reputation. I seriously doubt this was done as a way to stay in line with the law as the linked article claims.

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0 pointsMichaelCollins3y ago0 comments

> If the law is about loaves being too light or small, how does giving out an extra loaf to people who buy 12 help?

If the baker gives you 13 and calls it 12, that makes it harder for a greedy baker narrative to stick. It doesn't have to be logical, it's about managing impressions.

> Who is even buying 12 loaves of bread when restaurants are rare and refrigeration non-existent?

The average family used to be the size of a small army. 12 loafs of bread could be eaten in 1 or 2 days if you've got 12 hungry kids and bread is a major component of their diet.

0 comments

travisjungroth3y ago

I regret trying to say buying a dozen would be uncommon. It’s more that even if they sell a dozen, of course there’d frequently be orders smaller than that.

MichaelCollinsOP3y ago

morelisp3y ago

> Bakers were under constant suspicion of cheating customers and the regulations.

I once found a book of old German jokes and basically every third one the joke's essence was some kind of slander against the town miller.

travisjungroth3y ago

I totally agree that bakers would give an extra loaf to help their reputation. I seriously doubt this was done as a way to stay in line with the law as the linked article claims.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse