Questions On How Rationing Works (Government)

Factual Questions
1

I was reading about potential rationing, during the second oil crisis of the 70s. The US government made ration stamps. I’ve also listened to some old time radio shows during WWII where they had rationing.

But I have some questions.

It’s my understanding from the old time shows that each community had a ration board and they issued people a card which classified how much use of an item you’d get.

But where did you get the stamps? Was it at the ration office? Was it like a bank for ration stamps? And how were ration boards formed? Appointments I assume.

How did you spend the coupons? Did the clerks who rang you up say "OK that’ll be $2.00 plus six red ration coupons?

I heard on one Great Gildersleeve show the announcer for Parkay Margarine say “Parkay provides all this for only one red ration stamp.” So I assume the government set so many stamps per item.

But I assume the government had to publish the amounts somehow so you weren’t ripped off. In the above example both the consumer and grocer would have to be aware how many red ration stamps to charge so there would be no “improprieties.”

From the old time shows it seemed there was nothing illegal about giving or trading stamps as they show characters would often say, “You eat out all the time, give me some of your ration stamps.”

Any other info you might have I’d appreciate.

I also know if anyone has any idea how the use of gas rationing stamps in the 70s would’ve worked (as opposed to non-ration stamped odd/even days rationing which was actually used worked)

Thanks

2

Everything you need to know about rationing.

Gas rationing in the 70s was entirely different. Back then, you were allowed to buy gas based on your plate numbers. Odd on M-W-F, even on T-Th-S. Depending on the state, Sunday was either everybody or stations were closed. If you had personalized plates you were lumped in with one of the groups, and government plates and handicapped plates were exempt. But this you already know. AFAIK, they never got past the “What if?” stage with gas stamps in the 70s, so any info would be sheer speculation.

3

For world war II Britain rationing was actually a major public health benefit.

The typical British diet at the time was terrible. They enjoyed lots of really unhealthy foods in a very unbalanced diet.

When rationing came along the average standard of nutrition increased across the country because people had to eat all those icky fresh vegetables and grains, and drop sugar and butter and meat intake.

(I don’t have the figures, but I’d bet sales of laxatives dropped significantly)