A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
Wartime Social Survey
New Series Regional H.1
III
FOOD SCHEMES (i)
Interviewing was carried out during the period 14th May to 6th June, 1942. A sample of 2944 housewives was interviewed.
The purpose of the inquiry was to find out public attitudes towards the continuance of various measures in order to give the Ministry information on which to base post-war planning.
"Which of following Food Schemes would you like to be continued after the war?"
Reasons for wanting or not wanting Food Schemes continued were not asked in this survey. Results suggest that these would have been valuable addition information.
In the survey at present in the field, (New Series Regional H.2.), attitudes of approval or disapproval towards the same Food Schemes are being investigated, and in this case reasons for approval or disapproval are being asked. Results given by this survey should throw some light on this, as attitudes towards Food Schemes as they are at present working must be an important factor in determining reasons for wanting or not wanting these Food Schemes to be continued after the war.
The category “Don't know and Indifferent” includes both those who felt that it was immaterial to them whether the Food Schemes were continued or not and those who were unable to give an opinion either way.
In considering the figures for Rationing and Points Rationing it should be noted that many of those who said they would like these schemes continued qualified this statement by saying that they thought it would be necessary for some time after the war.
In asking about National Wheatmeal Bread interviewers were instructed to add “if other sorts of bread were also obtainable”.
"Information about food” was added after the first two days' interview in had been done. This accounts for the smaller sample figure.
It will be seen that Price Control is by far the most popular of the measures considered, 82% wishing this to be continued after the war.
The milk schemes are also appreciated by a majority, particularly by those personally affected by them, the mothers of young children, as will be seen from the breakdowns given below.
As regards the other Food Schemes, opinion on these is more evenly divided National Wheatmeal Bread is the least popular, with only 32.6% wishing this continued after the war.
There is most indifference on the subject of British Restaurants, probably because only a rather small proportion of housewives have so far had occasion to use these. Attitudes toward British Restaurants have been investigated in detail in a general survey of the population, (New Series Regional G.2.
Rationing
The lowest income group (Class D) had a smaller proportion than other groups indifferent to rationing being continued, a higher proportion being indifferent.
Breakdown by age Groups shows the following result.
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 46.5 | 49.9 | 48.4 | 48.7 |
| Would not like continued | 41.6 | 36.3 | 31.0 | 35.5 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 11.9 | 13.8 | 20.6 | 15.8 |
| Sample | 680 | 1213 | 1032 | 2944 |
The oldest age are group shows a higher proportion indifferent. Younger housewives have higher proportion. Saying they would like rationing continued is about the same in each group.
There are no statistically significant difference as between housewives with and without children or between urban and rural districts.
Points Rationing
There are some differences between different income groups.
As in the case of rationing, Class D has a lower proportion in favour and a higher proportion indifferent compared with other groups.
Analysis by Age Group shows the same trends as in the case of rationing, the older people tending to have a higher proportion indifferent and a lower proportion against.
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 49.1 | 52.3 | 46.6 | 49.7 |
| Would not like continued | 40.0 | 34.6 | 32.8 | 35.1 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 10.9 | 13.1 | 20.6 | 15.2 |
| Sample | 680 | 1213 | 1032 | 2944 |
Breakdown by housewives with and without children and by urban and rural districts show no statistically significant differences.
National and Priority Milk
Analysis into income groups gives the following results:
There is a slight tendency for those in the lower income groups to be more in favour than those in the higher, whereas the opposite trend is seen in those against.
As might be expected, housewives with children are more in favour of the milk schemes being continued than those without children. This is more marked in the group with children under five but those with children aged 5 to 14 also show a high proportion in favour. Those without children have a higher proportion indifferent and also a rather higher proportion against.
| With children under 5 * | With children under 5-14 aged * | With no children | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 85.1 | 70.3 | 52.4 | 61.4 |
| Would not like continued | 5.8 | 9.5 | 17.6 | 13.7 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 9.1 | 20.2 | 30.0 | 24.9 |
| Sample | 642 | 873 | 1515 | 2944 |
There are some differences as between different age groups. It seems probable that those merely reflect the differences shown in the table above, the younger housewives being more likely to have young children than the older ones.
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 74.9 | 60.0 | 54.4 | 61.4 |
| Would not like continued | 10.0 | 14.5 | 15.4 | 13.7 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 15.1 | 25.5 | 30.2 | 24.9 |
| Sample | 680 | 1213 | 1032 | 2944 |
There are no statistically significant differences as between housewives living in urban and rural districts.
Price Control
Class D shows a lower proportion in favour and a higher proportion indifferent to the continuance of price control.
| A | B | C | D | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 83.7 | 85.0 | 86.3 | 76.0 | 82.0 |
| Would not like continued | 9.1 | 7.6 | 3.8 | 6.4 | 5.8 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 7.2 | 7.4 | 9.9 | 17.6 | 12.2 |
| Sample | 153 | 595 | 1143 | 1049 | 2944 |
The older age group shows a higher proportion indifferent and a rather lower proportion in favour than the younger groups.
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 86.9 | 83.4 | 77.6 | 82.0 |
| Would not like continued | 5.3 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 7.8 | 10.9 | 16.2 | 12.2 |
| Sample | 680 | 1213 | 1032 | 2944 |
A similar but less marked trend is seen as between housewives with children under 5 and of 5 to 14, and housewives without children.
As the trend is more marked in the age breakdown than in the children breakdown, it is probable that age is a more important factor in determining this difference than whether the housewife has children or not.
There are no statistically significant differences as between urban and rural districts.
British Restaurants
There is a tendency for the younger age groups to be more in favour of the continuance of British Restaurants than the older group, the latter having a higher proportion indifferent.
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 42.5 | 39.1 | 32.2 | 37.3 |
| Would not like continued | 7.5 | 8.4 | 9.6 | 8.6 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 50.0 | 52.5 | 58.2 | 54.1 |
| Sample | 680 | 1213 | 1032 | 2944 |
A similar trend is shown in the children breakdown, but here, as in the case of Price Control it is less marked.
Analysis by income groups shows no statistically significant differences.
It should be borne in mind in this connection that results apply to housewives only. More detailed investigation of this subject is being made amongst other sections of the population.
National Wheatmeal Bread
There are district differences in the attitude of different income groups towards the continuance of N.W.B.
It will be seen that the lower income groups are less in favour than the higher and that this trend is very marked.
Housewives living in rural districts show a higher proportion in favour and a lower proportion against than those leaving in urban districts.
| Urban | Rural | Total | |
| % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 29.7 | 39.3 ± 47.6 | 30.8 |
| Would not like continued | 55.9 | 47.6 | 54.6 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 14.4 | 13.1 | 14.6 |
| Sample | 2553 | 387 | 2944 |
There are no statistically significant differences as between different age groups, or between housewives with and without children.
Information about Food
Breakdown into income groups shows differences.
| A | B | C | D | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 59.7 | 58.0 | 55.0 | 46.4 | 53.0 |
| Would not like continued | 13.4 | 11.1 | 10.6 | 9.0 | 10.3 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 26.9 | 30.9 | 34.4 | 44.6 | 36.7 |
| Sample | 134 | 525 | 1023 | 912 | 2594 |
The higher income groups are rather more in favour than lower, the latter showing a higher proportion indifferent.
Younger housewives tend to be more favourable than older ones, indifference being most marked in the oldest in the oldest group,
| Under 35 | 35-50 | Over 50 | Total | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Would like continued | 59.6 | 53.8 | 47.1 | 53.0 |
| Would not like continued | 8.3 | 11.1 | 10.7 | 10.3 |
| Don't know and Indifferent | 32.1 | 35.1 | 42.2 | 36.7 |
| Sample | 576 | 781 | 1319 | 2594 |
A similar trend is seen in the children breakdown.
There are no statistically significant differences between urban and rural district.