Britons stock up on water and tinned food after Be Ready campaign, without panic buying

Summary

British shoppers have been stocking up on essentials such as bottled water, tinned goods and hand sanitiser after the government advised people to prepare for emergencies, but they did not panic buy, shopping data shows. Sales of essentials jumped in the 10 days after the government launched its Be Ready campaign, which encourages households to prepare for up to three days in the event of disruption to essential services, such as cyber-attacks or extreme weather. Retail analysts say shoppers appear to have taken the campaign seriously.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   10 Nov 2026, 08:53 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that British shoppers stocked up on bottled water, tinned goods and hand sanitiser without panic buying, with sales of essentials jumping in the 10 days after the government launched its Be Ready campaign.

2. BBC

   10 Nov 2026, 11:43 UTCSource ↗

   BBC reports that sales of essential goods such as hand sanitiser soared after the government called on households to be prepared for emergencies with its Be Ready campaign.