News

Retailers report rise in essential goods sales after public urged to stockpile

27 Oct 2026 2 minute read

A shopper walking through the aisle of a supermarket. Photo Yui Mok PA Images

John Besley, Press Association

Major UK retailers have reported a dramatic increase in the sale of essential goods after the Government issued advice to stockpile food, water and other essentials.

Under a new Government “be ready” campaign, households are being urged to be prepared if everyday services are temporarily disrupted with three days of key supplies.

The checklist released advises stocking up with three days’ worth of bottled water and non-perishable food, a battery or wind-up FM radio to receive updates during outages and cash in case electronic payments or cash machines are disrupted.

According to BBC Newsnight, the Iceland supermarket chain saw a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend.

The programme also reported Robert Dyas had a 160% increase in sales of radios compared with last week.

Meanwhile, Maplin said radio sales rose by 92%, torches rose by 284% and the sale of power banks has risen by 106% covering the period since the Government’s announcement last week compared with the same period last month.

The Government advice marks the first stage of a three-year campaign which aims to make households feel better prepared for disruptive events, such as severe weather, and comes in the wake of heatwaves, drought and fires that hit the UK during the summer.

The steps advised include checking you have essentials such as three days’ worth of food and water as well as checking eligibility and signing up for the priority services register for specific support during outages.

A spokesperson for Iceland told BBC Newsnight: “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.

“Our supplies of these products remain healthy.”

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told the programme: “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.”

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