Rationing in the United Kingdom
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[[Image:WWII Food Rationing.jpg|thumb|Civilian [[rationing]]: A shopkeeper cancels the coupons in a British housewife's ration book]]
'''Rationing in the United Kingdom''' is the series of [[food rationing]] policies put in place by the government of the [[United Kingdom]] during certain wartime periods of the [[20th Century]] <ref>Ina Zweiniger-Bargielowska ''Austerity in Britain: Rationing, Controls and Consumption, 1939-1955'', Oxford Up (2002) ISBN 978-0199251025. For general background, ''see'' David Kynaston ''Austerity Britain, 1945-1951'', Bloomsbury (2007) ISBN 978-0747579854. </ref>.
At the beginning of [[World War II]], the UK imported 55 million [[tons]] of [[food]]stuffs per year (70%), including more than 50% of its [[meat]], 70% of its [[cheese]] and [[sugar]], nearly 80% of [[fruit]]s and about 90% of [[cereal]]s and [[fat]]s. It was one of the principal strategies of the [[Axis Powers|Axis]] to attack shipping bound for the UK, restricting British industry and potentially starving the nation into submission (see [[Battle of the Atlantic]]).
In order to deal with the extreme shortages the [[Ministry of Food]] instituted a system of [[rationing]]. Each person would register with their local shops, and was provided with a ''ration book'' containing coupons. The shopkeeper was then provided with enough food for his or her registered customers. When purchasing goods, the purchaser had to hand over the coupon as well as the money for the purchase.
== Timeline of rationing==
[[Image:'Breaches of the Rationing Order' poster.jpg|thumb|350px|A [[World War I|WWI]] government leaflet detailing the consequences of breaking the rationing laws.]]At around [[1916]] in the [[World War I|First World War]], [[German Empire|Germany]] started using its [[U-boat]]s (submarines) in order to sink the ships - many of which were [[United States|American]] - that were bringing food to the country and starve Britain into surrender. In about two years, Britain had just six weeks' food left and, therefore, had to ration its food supplies.
During the Second World War, rationing was introduced very early. On [[January 8]] [[1940]], [[bacon]], [[butter]] and [[sugar]] were rationed. This was followed by meat, [[tea]], [[jam]], [[biscuits]], [[breakfast cereals]], [[cheese]], [[Egg (food)|eggs]], [[milk]] and [[canned fruit]]. One of the few foods not rationed were [[fish and chips]]. Strict rationing caused many people to buy food on the [[black market]]; however people were often tricked with cheaper substitutes such as [[horsemeat]] instead of [[beef]].{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
As the war progressed, most kinds of food came to be rationed, as were [[clothing]] and [[petrol]]. Clothing was rationed on a points system. Initially the allowance was for approximately one new outfit per year; as the war progressed the points were reduced to the point where the purchase of a coat constituted almost an entire year's clothing.
Rationing continued after the end of the war. In fact, it became stricter after the war ended than during the hostilities. Bread, which was not rationed during the war, was rationed beginning in [[1946]]. This was largely due to the necessity of feeding the population of European areas coming under [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] control, whose economies had been devastated by the fighting. Sweet rationing ended in February [[1953]], and sugar rationing ended in September of that year. The final end of all rationing did not come until [[1954]] with [[banana]]s. Some of the [[ersatz]] foods like [[crumble|apple crumble]] and [[carrot cake]] continue to be popular today.
== British Restaurants ==
[[Restaurants]] were exempt from rationing, which led to a certain amount of resentment as the rich could supplement their food allowance by eating out frequently and extravagantly. In order to restrict this certain rules were put into force. No meal could cost more than five [[shillings]]; no meal could consist of more than three courses; meat and fish could not be served at the same sitting. Establishments known as "[[British Restaurant]]s" supplied another almost universal experience of eating away from home. British Restaurants were run by local authorities, who set them up in a variety of different premises such as schools and church halls. They evolved from the [[London County Council|LCC]]’s Londoners’ Meals Service which originated in September 1940 as a temporary, emergency system for feeding those who had been bombed out. By mid-[[1941]] the [[London County Council|LCC]] was operating two hundred of these restaurants. Here a three course meal cost only 9d. Standards varied, but the best were greatly appreciated and had a large regular clientele. Similar schemes were run in other towns and cities.
== Standard rationing ==
The average standard rations during the Second World War are as follows. Quantities are '''per''' '''week''' unless otherwise stated.
=== Food rations ===
* 1 [[shilling]] 2 [[penny]] (approximately 1 [[Pound (mass)|lb]] 3 [[Ounce|oz]] or 540 g) of [[meat]] ([[offal]] or [[sausages]] were only rationed later on from 1942-1944.<ref>Although sausages were not rationed, it should be noted that the meat needed to make them was so scarce that they were very rarely seen. Meat needed to be saved to send to soldiers in the war.</ref>)
* 4 oz (113 g) [[bacon]] or [[ham]]
* 3 [[pints]] (1.7 l) of [[milk]] per week or 1 packet of [[milk powder]] per month
* 2 oz (57 g) [[butter]]
* 2 oz (57 g) [[margarine]]
* 2 oz (57 g) [[cooking oil|fat]] or [[lard]]
* 2 oz (57 g) loose [[tea]] (teabags were not used widely in the UK)
* 1 [[egg (food)|egg]] per week or 1 packet (makes 12 “eggs”) of [[Powdered eggs|egg powder]] per month (''vegetarians were allowed two eggs''<ref name="veg">http://www.vegsoc.org/members/history/vegwar.html</ref>)
* 2 oz (57 g) [[jam]]
* 3 oz (85 g) [[sugar]]
* 1 oz (28 g) [[cheese]] (''vegetarians were allowed 3oz (85gm) of extra cheese ration, as they gave up their meat ration''<ref name="veg" />)
* 3 oz (85 g) [[confectionery|sweets]]
* 2 lb (907g) [[onion]]s (onions were only rationed between 1942-1944)
* plus, 16 “points” per month for tinned and dried food.
=== Non-food rations ===
* 66 “points” for clothing per year, in 1942 it was cut to 48 and then to 36 in 1943.(e.g. 2 points for a pair of [[knicker]]s, 5 points for a man's [[shirt]], 5 points for a pair of [[shoe]]s, 7 points for a [[dress]] and 26 points for a man's [[suit]]). Clothing rationing points could be used for wool, cotton and household textiles. People had extra points for work clothes, such as overalls for factory work. No points were required for [[second-hand]] clothing and fur [[coat]]s, but their prices were fixed. Before rationing lace and frills were popular on knickers but these were soon banned so material could be saved.
*1 Pound (454 g) of [[soap]] per month (household soap, beauty soap, and soap flakes, but not shaving soap)
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== See also ==
* [[British cuisine]]
* [[Rationing]]
* [[Utility furniture]]
* [[Woolton pie]]
== External links ==
* [http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/War/londonRation.html History in Focus: War - Rationing in London WWII]
* [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/0-9/1940house/ref/food/rat.htm Food Rationing]
[[Category:Austerity]]
[[Category:United Kingdom home front during World War II]]
[[es:Racionamiento en Reino Unido durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial]]