Emergency Preparedness Campaign Triggers Surge in Essential Supply Sales
Supermarkets and retailers report dramatic increases in demand for tinned goods, bottled water, and radios following government 'Be Ready' guidance.
Carla Rooney
Supermarkets and retailers report a sharp increase in sales of emergency supplies.
Baked beans, bottled water, and batteries saw a significant sales surge after government warnings about potential shortages. Iceland, a major supermarket chain, recorded a 40% increase in tinned food sales and a spike in bottled water purchases over the weekend.
Retailers also noted a dramatic rise in demand for communication and power items. Robert Dyas experienced a 160% increase in radio sales compared to the previous week. Maplin reported a 92% increase in radio sales, a 284% increase in torch sales, and a 106% increase in power bank sales since last month.
This sales boost follows the government's release of 'Be Ready' guidance. The guidance includes a checklist for preparing food, water, and other essential supplies for emergencies. UK households are advised to maintain a three-day supply of cash, bottled water, and tinned food at home to mitigate service disruptions.
It's encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting urged people to stockpile goods, preparing for potential emergencies such as cyber attacks or extreme weather events. Streeting stated, "It's encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready," adding that "having a few everyday essentials at home, from tinned food to torches, helps households prepare for disruption, whether that's flooding, power cuts or burst pipes."
The campaign offers guidance on preparing for events like extreme weather, which can interrupt power, water, telephone, and internet services. The Met Office issued an amber warning for wind across several UK regions, including Cornwall, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of northern England.
Ollie Marshall noted the immediate public response. Marshall stated, "Within hours of the Be Ready announcement we saw people reach for the basics - a torch, a wind-up radio, a power bank." Marshall confirmed that "torch sales nearly quadrupled and radio sales almost doubled in three days."
Within hours of the Be Ready announcement we saw people reach for the basics - a torch, a wind-up radio, a power bank. Torch sales nearly quadrupled and radio sales almost doubled in three days.
Ocado, an online grocer, had several brands of soup and bottled water out of stock on Monday. Some retailers have seen a boost in sales following the announcement of Labour's 'Be Ready' scheme.
The government's national risk register serves as a planning tool for professionals to prepare for risks, not as a prediction of future events. The campaign aligns emergency advice with practices in France, Ireland, and the Netherlands, recommending preparedness for up to three days of independent management if essential services are interrupted.
The government highlights that many households may already possess these items and advises checking cupboards first. The campaign also recommends building emergency kits gradually to spread costs, checking them every six months for expired items, and connecting with the community to assist those in need.
Separately, some shoppers may take the stockpiling advice to extremes. Rogue drones are targeting Britain’s military bases almost daily. Vladimir Putin's government claims British facilities in Ukraine will be considered "legitimate targets" if used to support long-range strikes against Russia.