Retail sales of tinned foods and bottled water surged across the UK following the launch of the government’s Be Ready emergency preparedness campaign on October 22, 2026, according to retail research and industry data.
Stockpile Campaign Drives Sales
The Cabinet Office initiative encourages households to maintain three days worth of essential supplies to prepare for severe weather, cyberattacks, and disruptions to critical services. Data from Worldpanel by Numerator indicates that in the 10 days following the launch, sales of bottled water climbed 67 percent, while tinned and jarred goods increased 37 percent.
Hand sanitiser sales rose 83 percent over the same period. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, noted that less than a third of households bought bottled water in October, pointing to a gradual stocking-up rather than panic buying.
Growth came from more people adding the recommended items on the government’s checklist to their weekly shop, not from shoppers piling their trolleys high, which is very much in line with what the government wanted households to do,
he explained.
The campaign encourages households to keep three days-worth of food and water in their homes, alongside wet wipes, cash, and a torch. Laura Scott, British Red Cross Director for UK Resilience, noted that practical preparation and trusted public information help communities respond more effectively when emergencies occur, stating that people can take simple steps to be ready to help their friends, families and neighbours.
Dan Jarvis, the UK’s Security Minister, described it as just the sort of community-focused campaign the nation needs to improve resilience, adding that improving household preparedness strengthens the country’s ability to respond to everyday emergencies. Similar approaches for three-day emergency supplies have already been adopted.
The number of shoppers buying tinned meat each day rose by 43 percent, adding the equivalent of 400,000 extra buyers daily while the typical purchase quantity held steady at about 500 grams, as reported by the BBC.
Supermarkets and Specialty Retailers Respond
Supermarket chains reported varying shifts in consumer demand. An Iceland spokesperson stated: It’s clear consumers have listened to the government’s message as we have seen a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend and strong sales of bottled water too.
Retail industry insiders noted that supermarkets were well prepared with solid supplies of the recommended long-life groceries, warning that online photos of empty shelves typically overlook adjacent full stocks of alternative brands.
Specialist technology and prepper stores experienced even steeper spikes. Robert Dyas reported a 160 percent increase in radio sales, while Maplin recorded a 92 percent rise in radios, a 284 percent increase in torches, and a 106 percent jump in power banks.
Ollie Marshall, the managing director of Maplin, said: 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.
Marshall added that these simple, affordable items keep households connected when power fails, and praised the public for taking the advice seriously.
Independent survival retailers also noted unprecedented traffic. Josh Pringle from Sgt Prepper’s online store reported a tenfold sales increase, noting that his business was a small outfit before the announcement. Independent retailers also reported spikes in sales of items highlighted by the defence secretary, including wind-up radios and water purification tablets.
Food Producers Track Demand
Major food manufacturers observed similar market activity. Giuseppe Mastrolia, interim chief executive of the tinned food firm Princes, said that the rise in demand further reinforces the relevance of our core categories in providing affordable, nutritious and convenient food solutions.
Jim Bligh, food policy director at the British Retail Consortium, added that while select retailers noticed an uptick, food availability remained strong across essential lines.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting remarked on the public response, stating: It’s encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready. 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. We can all play our part in making Britain more resilient.