Second World War Rationing in the United Kingdom

child s ration book, used during second world war.

after second world war began in september 1939 first commodity controlled petrol. on 8 january 1940 bacon, butter , sugar rationed. followed successive ration schemes meat, tea, jam, biscuits, breakfast cereals, cheese, eggs, lard, milk, , canned , dried fruit. in june 1942 combined food board set coordinate world supply of food allies, special attention flows u.s. , canada britain. foods apart vegetables , bread rationed august 1942. strict rationing inevitably created black market. controlled items rationed weight meat rationed price.

fresh vegetables , fruit not rationed supplies limited. types of imported fruit disappeared. lemons , bananas became unobtainable of war; oranges continued sold greengrocers customarily reserved them children , pregnant women, prove status producing distinctive ration books. other domestically grown fruit such apples still appeared time time, again sellers imposed own restrictions customers not allowed buy, example, more 1 apple each. many people grew own vegetables, encouraged highly successful digging victory motivational campaign. in 1942 numerous children between 5 , 7 years old had become used wartime restrictions. when questioned bananas, many did not believe such items existed. game meat such rabbit , pigeon not rationed not available. popular music-hall song, written 20 years sung ironically, yes! have no bananas . during food rationing, british biologists ate laboratory rat.

poster dig victory campaign, encouraging britons supplement rations cultivating gardens , allotments.

most controversial bread; not rationed until after war ended, national loaf of wholemeal bread replaced ordinary white variety, distaste of housewives found mushy, grey , easy blame digestion problems. in may 1942, order passed meals served in hotels , restaurants must not cost on 5 shillings per customer, must not of more 3 courses, , @ 1 course contain meat, fish or poultry. partly in response increasing public concerns luxury off-ration foodstuffs being unfairly obtained afford dine regularly in restaurants.

fish not rationed price increased considerably war progressed. government allowed this, since realised fishermen need able collect premium catch if @ risk of enemy attack while @ sea, prices controlled 1941. other non-rationed items, fish freely available supplies dropped 30 percent of pre-war levels, , long queues built @ fishmongers , fish , chip shops. quality of wartime chips felt below standard, because of low-quality fat available.

as war progressed rationing extended other commodities such clothing. clothing rationed on points system. when introduced, on 1 june 1941, no clothing coupons had been issued, , @ first unused margarine coupons in ration books valid clothing. allowance approximately 1 new outfit per year; war progressed points reduced until buying coat used year s clothing coupons. on 1 july 1942 basic civilian petrol ration abolished; announced on 13 march 1942. (ivor novello british public figure sent prison 4 weeks misusing petrol coupons.) after that, vehicle fuel available official users, such emergency services, bus companies , farmers. priority users of fuel always, of course, armed forces. fuel supplied approved users dyed, , use of fuel non-essential purposes offence.

certain foodstuffs 1940s british consumer find unusual, example whale meat , canned snoek fish south africa, not rationed. despite did not prove popular.

in addition rationing, government equalized food supply through subsidies on items consumed poor , working class. in 1942–43 £145,000,000 spent on food subsidies, including £35 million on bread, flour , oatmeal, £23  million on meat , same on potatoes, £11 million on milk, , £13 million on eggs.

public catering


a british restaurant in london, 1943

restaurants exempt rationing resented, people more money supplement food rations eating out frequently. ministry of food in may 1942 issued new restrictions on restaurants:

meals limited 3 courses; 1 component dish contain fish or game or poultry (but not more 1 of these)
in general no meals served between 11:00 p.m. (midnight in london) , 5:00 a.m. without special licence
the maximum price of meal 5 shillings, charges allowed cabaret shows , luxury hotels.

about 2,000 new wartime establishments called british restaurants run local authorities in schools , church halls. here plain three-course meal cost 9d , no ration coupons required. evolved london county council s londoners meals service, began emergency system feeding people had been blitzed out of homes. open , served office , industrial workers.

health effects

in december 1939 elsie widdowson , robert mccance of university of cambridge tested whether united kingdom survive domestic food production if u-boats ended imports. using 1938 food-production data, fed , other volunteers 1 egg, 1 pound of meat , 4 ounces of fish week; 1 quarter pint of milk day; 4 ounces of margarine; , unlimited amounts of potatoes, vegetables , wholemeal bread. 2 weeks of intensive outdoor exercise simulated strenuous wartime physical work britons have perform. scientists found subjects health , performance remained after 3 months, negative results being increased time needed meals consume necessary calories bread , potatoes , described remarkable increase in flatulence high amount of starch in diet. scientists noted faeces had increased 250 percent in volume.

the results—kept secret until after war—gave government confidence if necessary, food distributed equally all, including high-value war workers, without causing widespread health problems. britons actual wartime diet never severe in cambridge study because imports united states avoided u-boats, rationing improved health of british people; infant mortality declined , life expectancy rose, discounting deaths caused hostilities. because ensured had access varied diet enough vitamins.