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Sales of essential goods such as bottled water and canned food surged in the 10 days following the launch of the government’s Be Ready emergency preparedness campaign on October 22, according to retail research data.
Surge in Essential Purchases
Hand sanitiser sales jumped by 83%, bottled water sales rose by 67%, and purchases of tinned and jarred goods climbed by 37%, based on figures from retail research firm Worldpanel by Numerator. The government’s public awareness initiative advised citizens to maintain a three-day supply of food and water at home to prepare for potential disruptions to essential services caused by severe weather or cyberattacks. The campaign also recommended keeping wet wipes, a torch, and cash on hand.
Worldpanel noted that while households increased their purchases of essentials, the behavior did not constitute panic buying. Following the campaign rollout, the equivalent of an additional 400,000 people per day purchased tinned meat, though the average amount bought stayed at 500g, indicating a steady, gradual accumulation.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, stated, “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.” McKevitt added, “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.”
Financial Impact and Industry Response
Sales figures showed notable increases compared to the previous year. Tinned and jarred goods rose from £58.2 million in the 10 days leading up to November 2, 2025, to £79.5 million over the same period in 2026. Bottled water sales increased from £13.6 million to £22.8 million, while hand sanitiser sales climbed from £497,000 to £908,000.
Food company Princes reported similar findings, stating that demand for tinned tuna, meat, and vegetables had increased in the wake of the government initiative. Giuseppe Mastrolia, the interim chief executive of Princes, stated that the rise in demand “further reinforces the relevance of our core categories in providing affordable, nutritious and convenient food solutions.”
Debate Over Household Preparedness
The Be Ready campaign cautions that cyberattacks and severe weather could disrupt vital services, urging British households to secure items such as bottled water and non-perishable foods that do not require refrigeration, including nuts and dried fruit. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that everyone should have “those supplies in the house to get you through those moments.”
Previously, disaster recovery expert Lucy Easthope informed the BBC that the UK was lagging significantly behind European nations like France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in household preparedness. Concurrently, various experts have urged the UK to place greater emphasis on food security, with some suggesting the government should manage food stockpiling directly rather than relying on individual households.
In October, a coalition of more than 180 experts signed an open letter addressed to Burnham and First Secretary of State Louise Haigh, advocating for local authorities to be legally required to prevent and respond to food supply emergencies. The letter highlighted government survey data indicating that 29% of people in the UK cannot afford to store a few days’ worth of food at home.
