SUMMARY OF RESULTS

The rate of expenditure of the coupons

The results showed that 510 men had received 58,740 coupons (no information was obtained about two men), that is an average of 111 coupons each. About a fifth of all the coupons received had been spent. The men with no dependents had about twice as many coupons left as those with dependents.

The 245 women had received 42,227 coupons, an average of 172 coupons each; they had spent about a fifth of their coupons.

The clothes that informants bought for their own use

The men had spent an average of 61 coupons each on garments for themselves, and the women an average of 111 coupons. (Where coupons were spent which had been given to informants these were included in this estimate of expenditure).

The men had spent about 34%, and the women about 46% of all the coupons they had spent on themselves, on the main items of outerwear. A third of the men’s, and nearly a quarter of the women’s coupons, had been spent on other outer garments. In all 67% of the men’s coupons spent on themselves, and 68% of the women’s, had been spent on outer garments excluding, shoes. Both men and women spent 17% on underwear, nightwear and handkerchieves. They spent 15% and 12% respectively on shoes.

Coupons spent on other people

41% of the men and 11% of the women had contributed coupons to a family supply (or pool) from which coupons were spent for the different members of the family. 27% of the men and 6% of the women had at the time of the interview bought some of their clothing with coupons pooled in this way. The numbers of coupons put into and spent from family pools were not asked.

Beside coupons that were spent on informants' families through family pools 4% of all the coupons received by the men, and 5% of the coupons received by the women were spent on clothes for other members of their families, and/or on household goods. In addition to this both the men and the women had spent about 1% of all the coupons they had received on people outside their families, so that in all the men had spent 5% and the women 6% of their coupons on others, apart from pooled coupons.

Clothes that informants could not find in the shops

28% of the women had been unable to get some kind of footwear. No other item was mentioned by more than 10% of either the men or the women.

Informants' opinions of the number of coupons they had received.

60% of the demobilised men, and 74% of the women considered the number of coupons they had received was fair in relation to the civilian ration; 26% of the men, and 19% of the women considered it unfair. The rest of the demobilised men and women had no opinion.