A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
I NATIONAL WHEATMEAL BREAD (i)
New Series Regional G.1
An Inquiry carried out by the Wartime Social Survey for the Ministry of Food Interviewing: 30 April to 13 May, 1942
A general sample of 2008 persons representative of the adult civilian population was interviewed. Men and women were selected in representative proportions from different regions and occupation groups.
The purpose of this inquiry was to find out what people thought of the National Wheatmeal Loaf. National Wheatmeal Bread was introduced compulsorily on 6th April, 1942, but had been available in the shops for some months before.
Informants were asked: “How do you think the bread the shops are selling now compares with white bread?”
Results were as follows:
| % | |
| Better than white bread | 22.9 |
| Not so good as white bread | 48.5 |
| Better in some way and worse in others | 5.5 |
| Like both equally | 20.6 |
| Don't know | 2.5 |
| SAMPLE | 2008 |
There are no significant differences in the answers received from men and women, or from people in different age groups.
Analysis by income group show that A. and B, classes are markedly more in favour of National Wheatmeal Bread than C. and D. classes.
|
Class A & B
% |
Class C & D
% |
Total
% |
|
| Better than white bread | 36.3 ± 5.4 | 20.8 | 22.9 |
| Not so good as white bread | 31.5 | 50.6 | 48.5 |
| Better in some ways and worse in others | 7.3 | 4.9 | 5.5 |
| Like both equally | 22.8 | 21.2 | 20.6 |
| Don't know | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| SAMPLE | * 289 | * 1572 | 2008 |
Three occupational groups show some differences from the average. There is a tendency for workers in heavy industry to have a less favourable opinion of N.W.B., whereas those in the managerial and professional group, and to a lesser extent clerical workers, are more favourable.
Though the sample figures for these group are small, calculation of the margin of error shows that these differences are significant.
Housewives and other occupational groups show no significant differences from the total figures.
An analysis of answers from urban and rural districts showed no differences.
In addition to classifying informants' answers to this question, interviewers were asked to record their actual words.
Analysis of these comments shows that nearly half of those who prefer white bread (21.5% of the whole sample)do not dislike N.W.B their answer being recorded as “Good, but prefer white”, or “it's all right, but I prefer white”.
Of the rest 135 (6.6% of sample) expressed strong dislike, 167 (8.2% of sample)complained that it affected their health, and 233 (11.5% of sample) thought that it got stale too quickly.
Some informants expressed their views in detail ascribing more than one attribute to the bread, and it should be noted that such remarks have been classified separately, so that percentages given in the table below add up to more than 100. This, for example, addition of the percentages in the “Unfavourable” group does not give the percentage of persons given unfavourable answer but a higher percentage, as some information gave answers falling into two or more categories in this group.
It will be seen that the most frequently given objection to National Wheatmeal Bread, (11.5% of sample)is that it gets dry or stale quickly.
Of those who mentioned the effect as against 135 (6.6% of sample) who said it had a good effect.
Detailed analysis of the above table between men and women shows no significant differences.
Sample
Adult Civilian Population Total 2008