Beans, soup and bottled water sell out after government call to stockpile in case of crisis - The Independent
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Sales of tinned food, wind-up radios and torches have all spiked after the government told people to stock up in case of a crisis.
Supermarket chain Iceland said sales of tinned food increased by 40 per cent over the weekend along with a spike in bottled water sales.
On Monday, several brands of soup and bottled water were out of stock on Ocado, the online grocer. Volvic, Highland Spring and Brecon Carreg were all listed as unavailable, as were Heinz and Baxters soup ranges.
Meanwhile, Robert Dyas reported a 160 per cent increase in sales of radios compared to last week.
Maplin also said the sale of radios increased by 92 per cent, torches by 284 per cent and power banks by 106 per cent, since the same time last month.
It comes as the British public is being urged to prepare for food shortages and widespread disruption from cyber attacks and emergencies under a new national initiative.
UK households are advised to take simple steps in case everyday services are disrupted, like keeping a three-day supply of cash, bottled water and tinned food at home.
Iceland reassured that their “supplies of these products remain healthy” and added that it was “clear” the public listened to the government's message.
Ocado also told The Times their stock is “replenished daily” and that the are working with their “supply-chain partners to increase availability”.
In response to the increase in retail sales of certain items, the defence secretary, Wes Streeting told BBC Newsnight: "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."
The government says people should put together an emergency kit that includes key provisions you and your household would need during a short-term incident lasting three days, such as a power failure or a disruption to your water supply.
