Paper rationing was the besetting problem of publishers during wartime, with the fall of France cutting off supply of esparto grass, one of the constituents of the pulp Penguin used. As such when rationing was introduced in March 1940 a quota was allocated by the Ministry of Supply to each publisher as a percentage of the amount used by that firm between August 1938 and August 1939. This was particularly advantageous to Penguin who as a volume printer had enjoyed a very successful year that year. Further, in a deal with the Canadian Government, Penguin had agreed to exclusively publish editions for their armed forces for which they were paid in tons of paper.