Food rationing first began in January 1940 with butter, bacon and sugar.
As supplies of other foods became scarce, rationing was extended to include
meat, butter, margarine, cooking fat, tea, eggs and cheese. For some commodities
special distribution schemes were devised and the Points and Personal Points
Rationing Schemes were intrdouced.
Some foods were rationed beyond the end of the war.
- Canned meats and condensed milk were rationed until 23rd April 1950;
- Canned fish and canned fruits were rationed until 19th May 1950;
- Tea was rationed until 5th October 1952;
- Eggs were rationed until 26th March 1953;
- Chocolate and sweets were rationed until 26th September 1953
- At the end of 1953, bacon, cheese, butter, margarine, meat and sugar were
all still rationed.
Ordinary Rationing Scheme
This was the 'standard' rationing scheme which most people are familiar with
and covered meats, tea, cheese, preserves & jams, fats, butter & margarine
and sugar.
- With the Ordinary Rationing Scheme a coupon allowed a fixed amount of a
specific item of food for a fixed period.
- The consumer also had to register with a shop for each rationed food (except
tea). In the ration book was a counterfoil for each food (or group of foods)
which had to be completed and handed to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper would
then enter the shops details in the front cover of the ration book.
- Coupons were quite often left in the ration book but crossed out by the
shopkeeper to show that they had been used.
Rationing table - coming soon
Points Rationing Schemes
The Points Rationing Scheme was introduced on 1st December 1941. This scheme
was slightly different from the Ordinary Ratioing Scheme
- The Ordinary rationing prescribed a fixed amount of one food for a fixed
period. The Points Scheme covered a number of foods, to each of which a points
value was allotted. The consumer was given a number of points to spend in
a four-week periodon any of the foods in the scheme.
- There was no registration. The points could be used at any shop where the
item(s) were available
- Coupons used had to be cut out of the ration book and kept by the shopkeeper.
There was also a Personal Points Rationing Scheme,
introduced on 26th July 1942, to cover chocolates and sweets.
Distribution Schemes
Distribution schemes were introduced for milk (fresh, powdered & condensed)
and eggs (fresh & powdered).
Soap Rationing
By April 1939, the survey had been completed and evacuation plans had been
prepared, the above letter was sent to households to thank them for their co-operation.