HC Deb 29 July 1946 vol 426 cc111-2W
Mr. Collins

asked the Minister of Food the principal foodstuffs which were subject

RETAIL PRICES (TO NEAREST ¼d.).
(Per 1b. unless otherwise stated).
— 1919. 1921. 1945. 1946.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.
Beef.
British Ribs … … … 1 6 2 0½ 1 3¾ 1 3¾
British Thin Flank … … … 1 1 1 5 9¾ 9¾
Frozen Ribs … … … 1 4 1 2¾ 1 1 1 1
Frozen Thin Flank … … … 10¾ 9 6 6
Mutton.
British Legs … … … 1 7 2 3 1 5½ 1 5½
British Breast … … … 11½ 1 5½ 8 8
Frozen Legs … … … 1 6 1 3¼ 1 0 1 0
Frozen Breast … … … 9 6½ 4 4
Bacon … … … 2 3 2 2¾ 1 10½ 1 10½
Flour (per 7 lbs.) … … … 1 4 2 0¾ 1 5½ 1 5½
Bread (per 4 lbs.) … … … 9 1 1½ 9 10¼
(9d. per 3½ lbs.)
Tea … … … 2 6 2 6½ 2 10 2 10
Sugar (granulated) … … … 7 7¾ 4 4
Milk (per quart) … … … 6¼ 7¼ 9 9
Potatoes (per 7 lbs.) … … … 8¾ 8¾ 9½ 6¾
Margarine … … … 11¾ 9 9 (special) 9 (special)
5 (standard) 5 (standard)
Butter.
Fresh … … … 2 6 2 2½ 1 8 1 6
Salt … … … 2 6 2 1¼
Cheese … … … 1 6 1 7½ 1 1 1 1
Eggs-Fresh (per dozen) … … … 3 8½ 2 3 2 0 (large) 2 0 (large)
1 9(small) 1 9(small)
Ministry of Labour Index of retail Food Prices: July, 1914 = 100 … … … 204 218 170 169

to rationing in the years 1919, 1920 and 1921; the date when rationing of foodstuffs ceased; and give comparisons of retail prices of food as at 1st June in the years 1919, 1921, 1945 and 1946.

Mr. Strachey

The principal foods which were subject to rationing during part or whole of the period 1919–21 were: sugar, butter, margarine, meat and jam. The dates when rationing came to an end after the 1914–18 war are given below:

Commodity. Date when rationing ceased.
Bacon and Ham … 28th July, 1918.
Lard … 16th December, 1918.
Margarine … 16th February, 1919.
Jam … 15th April, 1919.
Meat … 15th December, 1919.
Butter … 30th May, 1920.
Sugar … 29th November, 1920.

Retail prices of all foods, other than fish, included by the Ministry of Labour in calculating the cost-of-living index as at 1st June in 1919, 1921, 1945 and 1946 are given in the following table:

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