First World War: rationing

In October 1917 a government scheme for the distribution of sugar was introduced.

Customers were required to register at a particular shop, and the number of registered shoppers determined how much sugar the shop was allowed to buy. However, supplied were not guaranteed and still ran out very quickly.

In January 1918, rationing was introduced for butter and margarine and other products were gradually added. Sainsbury’s welcomed  rationing as a fairer way to share out food in short supply, but was frustrated at the imposition of fixed prices. The company was threatened with prosecution several times, for selling goods at prices below those set by the Board of Trade.

Over the course of the war, trading hours were reduced and shops were given permission to close early if they sold out of goods. Long queues formed when deliveries of deliveries of high demand goods were made.

Short supply goods were described in coded ‘back slang’ (e.g. ‘nocab’ for bacon), to avoid uncontrollable behaviour. Ethel Jessop, manager of the Woodford branch, phoned the police when rioting broke out among workmen who could not buy cheese.

Profit margins were squeezed and cost increased. As a result, Sainsbury’s profits after tax fell from £119,306 in 1918 to £71,888 in 1919. Rationing ended in May 1919, but rising prices meant it was soon reintroduced for meat, butter and sugar. It was not until financial year 1920-21 that the food retail was freed from restrictions and Sainsbury’s profits returned to former levels.

Find out more about rationed goods during the Second World War