Rationing%20in%20WWII

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Rationing in WWII
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Before the Second World War began, Britain
imported about 55 million tons of food from many
different countries every year.
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When war began in September 1939 this importing
was stopped because the ships were being
torpedoed by German submarines.
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There was a worry that this would lead to a
shortage of food supplies in the shops so
rationing was introduced in January 1940.
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Everyone was issued with a ration book containing
coupons that had to be handed to the shop keeper
when buying goods.
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Bacon, butter and sugar were the first foods to
be rationed, followed by others such as meat,
eggs, cheese and milk. Potatoes, fruit and fish
were not rationed.
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To buy restricted foods, people handed their
ration book to the shop keeper. They removed the
coupons and took the appropriate amount of money.
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People were encouraged to grow their own food.
The dig for victory campaign asked every man,
woman and child to keep an allotment.
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Gardens and parks were used to grow vegetables to
eat at home. Children were encouraged to get
involved by digging and planting seeds.
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Scraps of food were kept to feed to pigs and
other animals. Kitchen waste was kept in big
bins and collected to feed the animals.
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Clothing rationing began in June 1941. There was
a shortage of cloth to make clothes so people
were encouraged to make do and mend.
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To buy new clothes people used coupons as well as
money. Every person had a clothes ration book
which allowed them one new outfit a year.
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Food rationing lasted for 14 years in Britain.
Following the end of the war in 1945, rationing
continued until ending in 1954.