Sugar rationing strictly enforced

Preparations for new measures to control the sale and distribution of sugar were outlined in the Observer of 100 years ago this week.

There were shortages of sugar and other commodities as lots of food was being sent away to feed the soldiers fighting in the war.

Less food was also arriving from other countries because ships bringing supplies were often attacked by German U-boats.

Rationing regulations for sugar were due to come into force on December 30, 1917.

However, local ‘control’ committees were being set up and it would be their job to register any grocers or retailers who wished to sell sugar.

Warning was given that after October 1, 1917, only those businesses registered would be allowed to deal in the commodity.

It was anticipated that towards the end of September 1917, forms of application for ‘sugar cards’ would be sent out by post to households.

Members of the public who received the forms had to provide information such as names, age, sex and occupations of all members of the household before returning them to the Food Office no later than October 5, 1917.

The householder would then receive from the office a card which had to be taken by them to the shop from where they intended to buy the sugar.

The tradesman was to retain one part of the card and stamp and return the other to the customers, who had to produce it every time he wished to buy sugar.

Grocers’ supplies of sugar were to be authorised by the local food control office on the basis of the number of customers registered to them.

It was the retailers’ duty to ensure no customer was supplied twice in a week.

And clerks were to scrutinise lists of consumers to prevent people submitting more than one application form from different addresses.

Penalties for fraud were, said the Observer, serious: a fine of up to £100, six months’ jail with hard labour”, or both.

Retailers shown to have unreasonably refused to supply sugar to a registered customer would face being deprived of their certificate of registration and supplies of sugar.

Weekly allowance of sugar would vary depending on national stocks but householders were warned that if they omitted to pick up their supply one week they could not claim a “double allowance” the following week.

Caterers, residential institutions and manufacturers were also to be subject to controls but handed vouchers giving them the authority to buy sugar up to certain amounts.