Rationing of the country, through the 'levelling of consumption of essential foodstuffs'. To assist with rationing, ration books were introduced on 1918 for butter, margarine, lard, meat and sugar. During the war, average calories intake decreased only three percent, but protein intake six percent. Food rationing appeared in Poland after the First World War, and ration stamps were in use until the end of the Polish–Soviet War. Rationing became common during the Second World War. Ration stamps were often used. These were redeemable stamps or coupons, and every family was issued a set number of each kind of stamp based on
Rationing in the Soviet Union Rationing in the Soviet Union Rationing in the Soviet Union was introduced several times, during periods of economical hardships. In 1929, the elimination of limited market economy that existed in the USSR between 1921 and 1929 resulted in food shortages and spontaneous introduction of food rationing in most Soviet industrial centres. In 1931, Politburo introduced a unified rationing system for foodstuffs and basic commodities and norms of rationing applied throughout the entire USSR. Rationing was applied only to people employed in the state-owned industries and to their family members. Such social categories as people without political rights known as "lishentsy"