The Newshound

Experts warn stockpile advice is 'tone deaf' to low-income families as water and baked beans sell out across UK

Bottled water and tinned goods sold out across UK retailers, with Iceland reporting a 40% rise in tinned sales after the government's 'Be Ready' emergency preparedness campaign launched.
Bottled water and tinned goods sold out across UK retailers, with Iceland reporting a 40% rise in tinned sales after the government's 'Be Ready' emergency preparedness campaign launched.

University of Glasgow professor Ruth Patrick says the stockpile advice "will appear at best tone deaf and at worst almost insulting" to the 14 million households currently facing poverty in the UK. Samantha Richards, a 47-year-old single mother on Universal Credit, says following the guidance would mean sacrificing her childcare budget, and that her autistic son's safe foods require refrigeration, making tinned supplies useless to him.

Maplin reported torch sales nearly quadrupled and power bank sales up 106% within days of the 'Be Ready' campaign launch.

Iceland saw tinned product sales rise 40% over the weekend, while Volvic, Highland Spring and Brecon Carreg bottled water all sold out on Ocado.

The government's 'Be Ready' campaign is the first phase of a three-year drive to boost household emergency preparedness against cyberattacks, extreme weather and hostile states.

MoreThe IndependentShoppers told: There is no need to panic buy toilet paperYahoo News UKShoppers panic buy toilet roll after government call to stockpileBBC News - Business'Tone deaf at best' - advice to stock up on essentials worries experts and low-income familiesYahoo News UKBaked beans and bottled water sell out after government stockpiling adviceThe TelegraphLoo paper sales soar after stockpiling calls
Read today's full feed at The Newshound →