Sales of emergency equipment have surged across Britain following the government’s new “Be Ready” campaign, with generator purchases jumping 172 per cent as households prepare for potential disruptions to essential services.
Toolstation, the DIY and trade supplies retailer, reported the increase in generator sales during the week of the campaign’s announcement. The initiative urges households to prepare for up to three days of disruption caused by emergencies including power cuts, severe weather and cyberattacks.
Demand for torches has also risen sharply, up 61 per cent, while headtorch sales increased by 25 per cent, according to the retailer.
The figures suggest the government’s preparedness message is translating into consumer behaviour, as households consider how they would cope if electricity supplies or other essential services were interrupted.
The campaign encourages people to take practical steps to improve their resilience during emergencies, rather than relying entirely on public services to respond immediately to a crisis.
A Toolstation spokesperson said the retailer had “understandably seen an increase in demand for emergency equipment in response to the new campaign”.
“Whether it’s a local power outage or a nationwide issue, products such as generators and torches are always important to keep stored in the house,” the spokesperson added.
The sales increase does not in itself indicate that a major disruption is imminent. But it highlights how official warnings can influence household decisions, bringing emergency planning into sharper focus amid concerns over extreme weather, infrastructure resilience and cyber threats.
British shoppers have also 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.”
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