Stockpiling essentials has caused some supermarket shelves to empty after the Government advised households to prepare for possible disruption from cyberattacks, extreme weather and hostile states.
Ocado reported a surge in demand over the weekend, with several bottled-water brands unavailable on Monday. Customers searching for Volvic, Highland Spring and Brecon Carreg were prompted to consider alternatives, while some Heinz and Baxters soup products had also sold out.
An Ocado spokesman said the retailer was working with supply-chain partners to improve availability and advised customers to check back or book deliveries for later in the week.
Iceland said sales of tinned products had risen by 40 per cent, alongside strong demand for bottled water. A spokesman said the chain’s supplies remained healthy.
Booths, the northern supermarket chain, also recorded year-on-year increases in sales of tinned food, bottled water and batteries. The company said storms and flooding could have influenced shoppers’ buying habits.
Government guidance urges three-day household supplies
The increased demand followed the publication of the Government’s “Be Ready” guidance, which advises people to keep enough food and water for three days, as well as cash in case electronic payments fail.
The checklist recommends at least nine litres of water per person, food that does not require electricity to prepare, spare chargers and pet food. It also lists a wind-up or battery-powered radio, toilet roll and baby food.
Last Thursday, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting urged households to prepare three days’ worth of non-perishable food, bottled water, an FM radio and blankets in case of hybrid attacks by terrorists or hostile states.
Ministers have described the guidance as part of a wider national resilience strategy covering severe weather, cyberattacks and foreign aggression, particularly from Russia.
Supermarkets have said they are better equipped to handle sudden increases in demand following supply-chain changes introduced after the Covid pandemic, when panic-buying led to shortages of toilet paper, pasta and hand sanitiser.
The Association of Convenience Stores said it had seen no “meaningful change” in weekend sales. However, concerns have been raised that some shoppers could take the advice to stockpile to extremes.
The Government’s message came as Storm Boelo brought severe weather and left people without power in Cornwall. At a summit on wildfire dangers, the Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner discussed preparations for emergencies.
Mr Burnham said: “Unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common.” He added that households should have supplies available to get through periods when storms or other events caused disruption, saying the UK could face “a winter of greater flooding”.
Critics have accused ministers of delivering “bossy lectures” and encouraging panic while failing to increase spending on defence.
Mr Burnham later joked that he would include Twiglets in his emergency stockpile. The Prime Minister said: “I do like my beans, so I have plenty of those in the cupboard and soup. I think those are the kind of things that I would recommend people to have as well as Twiglets.”
