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An American school boy using a War Ration Book to exchange a tin of V8 vegetable beverage. Rationing in the United started with the British government encouraging the US to do so. What in a first moment affected to tire and car manufacturers, soon implied civilians with the creation of first ration books. The War Ration Book Number One, or "Sugar Book" was released in 1942, through more schoolteachers, PTA groups, and other volunteers. Even a national speed limit of 35 miles per hour was imposed to save fuel and rubber for tires. Sugar was the first consumer commodity rationed, followed by bakeries, ice cream and coffee. The rationing worked like this: consumers went to supermarkets, where they used their ration books stamps to buy items, which were priced by points; the grocer would then exchange them for food. However, some products, such as vegetables and fruits were not rationed. The black market grew exponentially, succeeding in the illegal sale of stamps. Eventually, all rationing ended in 1946.

02/1943