Retailers say demand for emergency supplies such as torches, wind-up radios, power banks, tinned food and bottled water has risen sharply since the government launched its Be Ready campaign last week, The Guardian reports.
The campaign encourages households to keep enough essentials to last 72 hours in an emergency such as severe weather or a cyber-attack. The electronics retailer Maplin said torch sales had nearly quadrupled and sales of radios and power banks had doubled, with one wind-up radio selling out. Iceland reported a 40% rise in sales of tinned products over the weekend.
Not every chain saw a change. Several large supermarkets said demand for tinned goods was broadly normal, and the British Retail Consortium said food availability remained strong and shops were well stocked with essentials.
Source: The Guardian
