𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Research has indicated that the sale of two kinds of food and drink items has soared following the Government’s advice about being prepared for emergencies. An analysis from Worldpanel suggests that sales of essential goods such as bottled water and canned food soared in the 10 days following the launch of the government’s “Be Ready” emergency preparedness campaign on 22 October. According to the data, hand sanitiser sales were up 83%, sales of bottled water rose 67%, and tinned and jarred goods climbed 37%.

Worldpanel said that, following the government’s campaign launch, the equivalent of an extra 400,000 people per day bought tinned meat. However, the typical amount remained at 500g, suggesting gradual stocking up.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “Shoppers clearly took notice of the ‘Be Ready’ campaign, but this wasn’t panic buying, with less than a third of households buying bottled water in October. 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.”

The analysis revealed that sales of tinned and jarred goods rose from £58.2million in the 10 days to November 2, 2025 to £79.5million over the same period in 2026. Additionally, bottled water sales jumped from £13.6million to £22.8million compared with a year earlier.

In a separate analysis, food firm Princes said on Tuesday that demand for tinned tuna, meat and vegetables had risen following the Government’s campaign. This jump in demand “further reinforces the relevance of our core categories in providing affordable, nutritious and convenient food solutions”, said Princes interim chief executive Giuseppe Mastrolia.

The “Be Ready” campaign offers UK households advice on how to prepare for emergencies, such as extreme weather or a cyberattack. Households are advised to ensure they have a supply of essentials, such as bottled water and long-shelf-life food.

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham said everyone should have “those supplies in the house to get you through those moments”. Other European nations have issued similar emergency advice, including Germany, France, Sweden and Ireland.

Additionally, British households are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with three crucial features in their homes. To safely shut off water, gas or electricity during an emergency, all UK residents should know the location of the water stop cock, the gas isolation valve, and the electricity isolation switch.

Part of the Government’s emergency be ready plan reads: “If you have time and it is safe to do so, you might need to turn off the mains water, gas or electric to your home during an emergency. Familiarise yourself with where these are.” It adds: “WARNING: You can turn the water and electricity back on yourself but NOT THE GAS. This must be done by a qualified engineer.”