British shoppers have begun snapping up bottled water, baked beans and emergency equipment after the Government urged households to prepare for potential disruption, triggering sharp sales increases at retailers and leaving some online supermarket shelves temporarily bare.
Ocado customers found essential items including batteries, bottled water and baked beans unavailable shortly after Labour launched its “Be Ready” preparedness campaign, while Iceland reported a 40 per cent jump in sales of tinned products over the weekend.
The surge highlights how quickly official warnings can influence consumer behaviour, as ministers seek to persuade households to prepare for emergencies ranging from extreme weather to cyber attacks and interruptions to essential services.
Iceland said demand had risen sharply but sought to reassure shoppers that supplies remained secure. “It’s clear consumers have listened to the Government’s message,” a spokesman told BBC Newsnight, adding that bottled water had also sold strongly. “Our supplies of these products remain healthy.”
Demand for emergency equipment has climbed alongside sales of food and water. Robert Dyas reported a 160 per cent increase in radio sales compared with the previous week, while Maplin recorded a 92 per cent rise in radio sales, a 284 per cent surge in torches and a 106 per cent increase in power banks.
Ollie Marshall, Maplin’s managing director, said customers had responded within hours of the announcement, buying basic equipment designed to keep households connected during power cuts.
“People reach for the basics — a torch, a wind-up radio, a power bank,” he said. “These are simple, affordable products that keep a household connected and informed when the power goes out.”
The campaign follows warnings from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting about the need to prepare for everyday risks, including potential food shortages linked to an increase in cyber attacks. He has urged Britons to keep a modest supply of long-life food and bottled water at home.
The three-year Be Ready initiative aims to strengthen the country’s resilience by helping households cope independently for up to three days if services are disrupted. Updated guidance covers emergencies such as flooding, severe weather, burst pipes and outages affecting electricity, water, telephone networks and internet connections.
The advice also encourages eligible households to register for the Priority Services Register, which helps utility providers identify customers who may need additional support during an emergency.
Targeted radio and social media advertising has focused particularly on vulnerable groups, including older people and families with young children.
Streeting welcomed the sales increase, saying practical preparations could help households manage disruption without unnecessary panic.
“Having a few everyday essentials at home, from tinned food to torches, helps households prepare for disruption,” he told BBC Newsnight.
The Government’s challenge will be to turn the initial rush into sustained, proportionate preparedness — ensuring households are equipped for emergencies without encouraging panic-buying or creating avoidable shortages.
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