War Poster British WWII Food Coupons Rationing Home

War Poster British WWII Food Coupons Rationing Home
Original vintage British WWII propaganda poster published by the Board of Trade: It Is illegal to offer or accept Loose Coupons of a kind comprised in a ration document except for orders by post or in other circumstances expressly authorised by the Board of Trade - Offenders are liable to prosecution. Printed for Her Majesty Stationery Office by James Haworth & Brother Ltd. At the start of the Second World War in 1939, the United Kingdom was importing 20,000,000 long tons of food per year, including about 70% of its cheese and sugar, almost 80% of fruit and about 70% of cereals and fats. The UK also imported more than half of its meat, and relied on imported feed to support its domestic meat production. The civilian population of the country was about 50 million. It was one of the principal strategies of the Germans in the Battle of the Atlantic to attack shipping bound for Britain, restricting British industry and potentially starving the nation into submission. To deal with sometimes extreme shortages, the Ministry of Food instituted a system of rationing. To buy most rationed items each person had to register at chosen shops, and was provided with a ration book containing coupons. The shopkeeper was provided with enough food for registered customers. Purchasers had to present ration books with them when shopping so that the coupon or coupons could be cancelled as these pertained to rationed items. Year of printing: 1940s, country of printing: UK, designer: Unknown, dimensions (cm): 31.5x25.5.