Second World War: Fair Shares scheme

Sainsbury's responded to wartime trading difficulties by emphasising its traditional strengths.

Press advertisements stressed the choice of goods to be found in a Sainsbury's store. Customers were reminded that a trip to Sainsbury's was more convenient than visiting half a dozen specialist shops during the blackout.

Sainsbury's also introduced a 'Fair Shares' scheme to ensure that goods in short supply - such as sausages, cake, meat pies, blancmanges and custard powder - were distributed evenly. Customers were allocated a number of points, according to the number of rationed goods for which they were registered. The scheme encouraged customers to register for all rationed goods at Sainsbury's.

To promote the use of the points system a series of advertisements were created (by Francis Meynell who also produced the governments ‘Food facts’ advertisements), suggesting meal ideas using ‘points’ foods.

The scheme was noted by the Ministry of Food. On 1 December 1941 the government introduced its own ‘points’ scheme covering a wide range of grocery lines.

View  'points' meal suggestions from Sainsbury's, 1944 (PDF 711KB)