The Ministry of Food has made an order that will make it an offence, punishable by fine or imprisonment, to waste food. Among the conditions imposed by the order is that where anyone having the disposal of food unreasonably retains it until it becomes unfit for human consumption, he may be punished.

Examples of the type of wastes covered are: where food fit for human consumption is wilfully or negligently damaged or thrown away; where anyone having control or custody of food fails to take reasonable precautions for its preservation; and where anyone procures a larger quantity of food than he reasonably requires. No inspectors or "snoopers" will be employed. Our recollection of the order in the last war was that the nature of the penalties did not achieve a great deal in the long run.