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Sales of torches soar 284 per cent and radios fly off shelves after the government tells Britons to stockpile

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.

Iceland reported a 40 per cent surge in tinned food sales within days of the government's 'Be Ready' campaign, while Maplin saw torch purchases jump 284 per cent and power bank sales rise 106 per cent. The Defence Secretary told Newsnight the push is about everyday resilience — flooding, power cuts, burst pipes — not pandemic-style panic buying. The checklist covers nine categories including water, tinned food, battery radios and medical supplies, enough for three days.

Robert Dyas recorded a 160 per cent increase in radio sales as Britons rushed to build their emergency kits.

Critics warn the advice excludes the poorest — families in Tower Hamlets sharing a single room cannot store nine litres of water per person.

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