Farewell 3^D and 6^D - hello shortages and rationing

1940 marks the end of an era

During the first year of World War II prices rose rapidly. The increases were fuelled by shortages as factories switched from producing consumer goods to supporting the war effort.

Woolworth bosses met in New Bond Street to make one of the toughest choices of their lives - to abandon the company's motto of more than 30 years "Nothing over 6D" or "Nix over six". They had stuck to the policy through thick and thin, but inflation meant they could no longer offer much of the range within the sixpenny limit.  So they decided to abandon the maximum for the duration of the war.

The store at Hammersmith, West London, was one of the first to remove references to the limit on its fascia and windows. Instead the chain's Diamond "W" motif was shown on either side of the  F. W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd. name. The same styling had been used since 1932 in North America and Germany.

"Good things to know" magazine was given free to customers in 1940.

 It explained that the war had forced the company to put up the price limit to carry on stocking a full range.

At the time of publication only a handful of items had breached the upper limit by a halfpenny, as the Buyers dipped their toes into the water.

The sky did not fall, and as the year continued many prices across the store crept upwards.

Marvel Rubber Soles were the first product to go over sixpence - a halfpenny increase to 6½D.

The rise enabled the return of some items that had been dropped in the late 1930s. Before long there were a number of items at 7D and 8D. Some rationed goods like socks and vests were offered at prices of up to a shilling (5p).

By 1944, when the firm managed to track down new tin cooking utensils after an absence of four years, the price was one shilling and sixpence (7½p), three times the pre-war limit.

Removing the upper price made life more difficult for store staff. In the days before electronic 'adding-up' cash registers they had to total customers' purchases in their heads, or using a ready reckoner card that showed all the different multiples of 3D and 6D.  Now they had to add up prices from a penny to two shillings, with halfpennies and farthings (quarter pennies) included in the prices.  With 24 halfpennies or 48 farthings in a shilling (5p), and a currency in base 12 this was quite difficult to do!

From 1940 onwards the staff's difficulties were compounded by rationing. Clothing and food purchases required coupons. Every citizen had an allowance of garments of different types and of each major food group. There was a different coupon for each, which had to be handed over when making a purchase. Officially they were non-transferrable.

Stores had to confirm that the coupons were valid before cutting them out of the book and placing them in the till with the money. They were not supposed to accept the small pieces of paper loose.

The extra handling time for the coupons caused queues in-store, which some customers found frustrating. Most tolerated the hardship as a small sacrifice compared with serving the country in uniform.

Sometimes customers had coupons but the stores had no stock.  But on other ocassions stores had the stock but no customers seemed to have any coupons.  Some items were rationed, others quite similar were not.  And officials from the Ministry always seems to have advice to offer, even when it was not really needed.

Here are some examples of the coupons needed buy clothes during the War

• pair of socks or handkerchief of less than 1 sq ft ( approx 33cm²) - 1 coupon
• vests, long pants and swimming trunks - 3 coupons for adults, 1 coupon for children
• jacket (lined, woollen) - man's 13 coupons, woman's 12 coupons, child's 8 coupons

In 1942 it was announced that sweets would be rationed. This prompted long queues as people stocked up before the rule took effect. The pictures show customers at the temporary Woolworths store in Plymouth, Devon. They were taken by the Store Manager, Mr. Bowen.

For a great website about the Woolworths Plymouth store during World War II (and much more), please take a look at Steve Johnson's excellent Cyber Heritage site at http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/history/fww.htm *.

*Please note that we cannot accept any responsibility for the content of external websites.

Throughout the war many Woolworth stores boasted that they never turned a child away without any sweets.  Many older customers would hand in their sweet coupons "for the little ones".  This is a great example of the sense of community that helped to sustain Britain through the darkest days of the war.

The big manufacturers like Cadbury's, Nestlé and Melba all maintained strong advertising campaigns throughout the war. They asked people to think of the children.  Each supplier also apologised about the limited availability.  The Ministry of Food specified whereabouts in the country each batch they made had to be sent.

Sweets continued to be rationed long after the end of the war. Rationing finally ended in 1954.

 

Fast links to other 1940s War, Austerity and Recovery Gallery items

UK and USA a world apart   Blitz hits major cities   Spitfires for the RAF   Channel Islands Occupation   

Prices over sixpence   Home front defiance    A little piece of home   Woolworths' darkest hour  Reconstruction and post-war austerity  

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Pages with 1.5 Mb of Flash Content:  Woolworths Staff War Memorial    New Cross Memorial   Finest hour picture gallery   

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