The Second World War brought a period of austerity and tough rationing in Britain, especially for food: before the war Britain had imported about 55 million tons of food, but, only a month after the war began, this had dropped to 12 million. Strangely enough, this period also saw a general improvement in health standards across the country. Rationing began at the beginning of 1940 and lasted until July 1954 when the last restrictions on meat were lifted.

Everyone was issued with an identity card and each household had a ration book. Then they had to register with a local supplier of food whose name was stamped in the ration book so that you could only buy your ration from that supplier, and only the amount you were allowed. The books contained coupons which the shopkeepers cut out every time you made a purchase, and the amount you were allowed depended, to a certain extent, on the color of your ration book. The majority of adults had a buff or brownish book. Then there was the green book for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under five, and this allowed them first choice of fruit, a daily pint of milk and a double supply of eggs. Children between the ages of 5 and 16 had a blue book, which allowed them fruit, a full meat ration and half a pint of milk a day. The idea was to make as sure as possible that everybody got a fair share of the food available, the worry being that as food and other consumer goods became scarcer, prices would rise and the less well-off might not be able to pay. However, some thought it unfair, as people living in rural areas could get hold of eggs, butter and milk fairly easily without coupons.