Why Did Britain Ration Food in World War 2?
From 1940 to 1954 many foodstuffs and other supplies were rationed in Britain to stop the country starving under the pressures of World War Two.
When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939 after the invasion of Poland, less than a third of the food consumed by British citizens was produced within the island itself. German commanders soon realized that, if their ships and submarines could damage the flow of food and other supplies into Britain, they might be able to starve their enemy into submission.
As the Battle of the Atlantic was contested and eventually won, so British access to foods did drop, with sugars, cereals, fruits and meats being affected.
The British solution to the falling supply and increasing prices was compulsory rationing for everyone in Britain. This began on January 8th 1940 when bacon, butter and sugar became rations, but soon spread to include a huge range of foods. Everyone was issued with a ration book, allotting a certain amount of supplies per person per time period (children, expectant mothers and sick people could claim more of some items), and had to register at one shop where they would be supplied from.
People’s weekly rations might include an egg, an ounce of cheese and eight ounces of sugar. The amount given was determined by weights or points or financial value, and as meat was given out by price you could receive more by selecting the, now increasingly popular, cheaper parts. You could also save points up for things like biscuits or dry fruit.
Cigarettes and alcohol weren’t rationed, but became highly expensive. Other supplies were soon restricted, like petrol, as more and more industry was converted to the war effort.
Britain tried other methods to improve production and relieve the ration system, such as the Dig for Victory campaign which encouraged people to grow their own food, and which greatly increased the number of allotments. Edible animals which could be kept easily like pigs and chickens were also encouraged. The government ran campaigns explaining how to best use rations, and all sort of cunning recipes were produced. The result was that the diet of poorer Britons actually improved, although anyone who was friendly with farmers, grocers and black marketeers had an even better standard of living.
The rationing system lasted until 1954, because although the war was over in 1945 Britain now had to supply large areas of damaged and occupied land, still had a large army to feed, was still dealing with disruption in supplies and production.
The Need to Ration
When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939 after the invasion of Poland, less than a third of the food consumed by British citizens was produced within the island itself. German commanders soon realized that, if their ships and submarines could damage the flow of food and other supplies into Britain, they might be able to starve their enemy into submission.
As the Battle of the Atlantic was contested and eventually won, so British access to foods did drop, with sugars, cereals, fruits and meats being affected.
The Rationing System
The British solution to the falling supply and increasing prices was compulsory rationing for everyone in Britain. This began on January 8th 1940 when bacon, butter and sugar became rations, but soon spread to include a huge range of foods. Everyone was issued with a ration book, allotting a certain amount of supplies per person per time period (children, expectant mothers and sick people could claim more of some items), and had to register at one shop where they would be supplied from.
People’s weekly rations might include an egg, an ounce of cheese and eight ounces of sugar. The amount given was determined by weights or points or financial value, and as meat was given out by price you could receive more by selecting the, now increasingly popular, cheaper parts. You could also save points up for things like biscuits or dry fruit.
Cigarettes and alcohol weren’t rationed, but became highly expensive. Other supplies were soon restricted, like petrol, as more and more industry was converted to the war effort.
Supporting Rationing
Britain tried other methods to improve production and relieve the ration system, such as the Dig for Victory campaign which encouraged people to grow their own food, and which greatly increased the number of allotments. Edible animals which could be kept easily like pigs and chickens were also encouraged. The government ran campaigns explaining how to best use rations, and all sort of cunning recipes were produced. The result was that the diet of poorer Britons actually improved, although anyone who was friendly with farmers, grocers and black marketeers had an even better standard of living.
The End
The rationing system lasted until 1954, because although the war was over in 1945 Britain now had to supply large areas of damaged and occupied land, still had a large army to feed, was still dealing with disruption in supplies and production.
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