Rationing

During World War II (1939–45), the U.S. government began a policy of rationing for the American public. Rationing meant that certain products were available only in limited quantities so that the extra resources could be used for military efforts. Rationing was a challenging way for those remaining at home to do their patriotic duty to support the war effort.

In 1942, Congress passed the Emergency Price Control Act, which established the Office of Price Administration (OPA). The OPA was charged with controlling prices on goods and overseeing a rationing system. Rubber had already been rationed in 1941, but soon many other items were added to the list. Coupon books were issued for sugar and coffee in 1942. Gasoline purchases were limited by stamping windshields to indicate the amount allowed each week. In 1943, meat, fats and oils, cheese, processed foods, and shoes were rationed through a point system. Ration books contained sheets of points that could be spent on these items, all assigned point values. To replenish their stock, retailers had to turn in the coupons and stamps.

More than 100 million Americans received ration cards, coupons, and certificates that restricted purchases during the war. By the end of the war, the list of items rationed included typewriters, bicycles, stoves, tea, coffee, canned and processed foods, fats, coal, and an assortment of leather items. Other items defined as unnecessary, such as curlers, electric toasters, waffle irons, cocktail shakers, and lobster forks, were not even manufactured throughout the war.

The war ended in August 1945, and by the end of the year rationing had stopped on everything except sugar. Due to unreliable foreign supplies, sugar rationing continued until June 1947.