A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
SECTION III
BAKING MIXTURES
Information was sought on the following points:-
(1) The number of housewives using baking mixtures.
The extent to which housewives use them.
Which kinds are considered most important.
(2) Increase and decrease in the use of baking mixtures.
(3) Inconvenience which might be caused by a cut in the supplies of baking mixtures.
The interviews were carried out before the decision to discontinue allocation of sugar for the manufacture of this class of food became effective.
Summary of results
46% of the housewives in the sample use baking mixtures. Yorkshire pudding, pudding mixtures and cake mixtures are used to the same extent. All three are considered of equal importance.
The number using all kinds more often than they used to is nearly the same as those using them less often. The main reason for serving less often is that there is a shortage of supplies in the shops.
About half of the housewives who use baking mixtures think that they would be inconvenienced by a cut in supplies, the main reason being that these foods help out the rations.
The smallest number of housewives using baking mixtures is in Scotland, the largest number in the Midlands.
There is a slightly higher number using baking mixtures in the lower income group. These mixtures are less popular with the older housewives than with the younger ones.
1. The number of housewives using baking mixtures
1.1 Baking mixtures are used by just under a half of the housewives in the sample. The proportion using each kind can be seen in Table 2.
1. 2 Frequency with which ready-made baking mixtures are used
About a quarter of the sample use either Yorkshire pudding or pudding or cake mixture. About 10% had used only any of the three during the previous week. Other pastry mixtures are used by about 6%
Table 2
How often do you use ready-made baking mixtures?
1.3 Relative importance attached to different mixtures
In order to establish which of the different mixtures is most important to housewives, apart from the figures of those actually using them, housewives were asked which seemed very important to them to have, and which less important. Not everyone who used these foods felt they could give an answer to this, question, and of those who did, the greatest number valued cake mixtures the highest, though the difference in the valuation in relation to the other two mixtures mainly used, Yorkshire pudding and other puddings, is very slight.
Table 3
Which is very important to you, and which less important?
| Very Important | Not so Important | |
| % | % | |
| Ready-made Yorkshire pudding | 12 | 9 |
| Other pudding mixture | 13 | 3 |
| Cake mixture | 15 | 5 |
| Pastry mixture | 1 | 16 |
| Others | 1 | 3 |
| SAMPLE | 4398 | 4398 |
2. Increase and decrease in the use of baking mixtures
2.1 Of those who use baking mixtures, one third use them more often, a third less often, and a third to the same extent as they did a few years ago.
Table 4
Are you serving more, less or the same as formerly?
2.2 Reasons for decreased use of baking mixtures
The reason most frequently given why baking mixtures are used less often now is that they are not available in the shops. The shortage of sugar and of fat are two other reasons given.
Table 5
What are the reasons for serving less often?
3.1 Inconvenience caused by a possible cut in supplies
Of those housewives using baking mixtures, half say it would inconvenience them if supplies were cut down, and half do not think it would make catering very much more difficult. Those who would feel the loss of this type of food approximately amount to about one fifth of all housewives.
Table 6
If less were available, would it cause you hardship?
| % of sample | % of users | |
| Yes | 22 | 47 |
| No | 24 | 53 |
| Never use at all | 54 | - |
| SAMPLE | 4398 | 2003 |
The main reason given why a cut in supply would cause hardship is that these foods help to eke out the rations, especially fat and sugar.
“One now uses these things occasionally instead of milk puddings, it makes for variety.”
“Helps out with dinners and meat ration.”
“Yorkshire pudding helps out in various ways, have no eggs for puddings, so have to use the mixtures.”
“It sometimes makes a meal with sausages, and it is filling.”
“There are very few things to make puddings with which are not on points.”
“We like to use these ready-made mixtures, there is sugar in it, and so helps out the sugar ration.”
“Is invaluable these days, and so much quicker.”
“Shortage of suet, lard, etc. makes it impossible to cook puddings, etc.”
The numerical distribution for the reasons given as to why a cut in supplies would cause inconvenience is shown in the next table.
GROUP DIFFERENCES
Regional differences
1.1 The greatest number of housewives using baking mixtures is in the Midlands, and the smallest number in Scotland.
Table 8
Do you use ready-made baking mixtures?
| North | East | Midlands | London | South | Scotland | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Yes | 40 | 42 | 56 | 48 | 54 | 27 |
| No | 60 | 58 | 44 | 52 | 46 | 73 |
| SAMPLE | 1368 | 410 | 975 | 601 | 615 | 429 |
Class differences
1.1 & 3.1 There are slightly fewer housewives in the upper income group who use baking mixtures; also, fewer in this group say they would suffer hardship if supplies were cut down.
Table 12
If less became available, would it cause you hardship?
| % of Sample | % of Users | |||
| A & B | C & D | A & B | C & D | |
| Yes | 14 | 23 | 35 | 50 |
| No | 25 | 23 | 64 | 50 |
| No answer | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Never use | 60 | 53 | - | - |
| SAMPLE | 1035 | 3261 | 409 | 1540 |
The number of children in family does not influence the extent to which baking mixtures are used.
Age differences
1.1 Older housewives use baking mixtures less than younger housewives; the former group would also experience less hardship if supplies were cut down.
Table 13
Do you use ready-made baking mixtures?
| Up to 30 | 31-50 | Over 50 | |
| % | % | % | |
| Yes | 51 | 47 | 40 |
| No | 49 | 52 | 60 |
| SAMPLE | 804 | 2225 | 1247 |