The UK Government has launched a campaign encouraging households to stock up on 15 kinds of emergency supplies in case of a crisis, and to extend a hand to those unable to do the same. Households are being advised to prepare for disruption to everyday services with three days of key supplies as part of the new "be ready" campaign.
The checklist released advises stocking up on bottled water and non-perishable food, among other items, although ministers have insisted they want people to be "alert but not alarmed". Experts have backed calls for Brits to be prepared for potential disruption linked to conflicts, extreme weather or cyber-attacks, and suggested they should be ready to share their stash with neighbours.
Experts Back Preparedness and Sharing
Professor Tim Lang told The Guardian: "Yes, do store food, but be prepared to share to maintain social solidarity. All resilience theory and experience, in shocks, wars or sub-war conflicts, shows it is essential to maintain social cohesion if you want to maintain social order."
Data shows that one in seven UK households with children suffers from food insecurity, and if people go hungry, civil unrest might follow, Mr Lang said. He also criticised the "minimal" advice offered by the Government to would-be preppers, calling on the state to "protect us more" and provide "specific" instructions.
Practical Advice for Tough Times
He added: "You've got to be thinking, no cooking facilities, plus maybe no water, plus the internet has gone down, so you can't go and ask the web. You must think very carefully about what you wouldn't mind living off for a week or 10 days if things were really bad."
Numerous lists of the best items to stockpile have sprung up online since the Government's announcement last week, including an inventory published on the blog Start Prepping UK. The author behind the post urged readers to "prep rather than hoard" ahead of potential crises.
Prepping vs Hoarding
During the Covid pandemic, hoarders "were participating in the runs on shops, and creating a shortage by shocking the 'just in time' grocery stocking system all at once", they said. "Preppers, by comparison, buy things a bit at a time, before there's any mass shock to the system, making their order just a tiny blip in the supermarket stock chain."
They also suggested Brits not scrimp on "quality of life boosters" and invest in slightly more "extravagant" treats than the classic tinned fruit and vegetables. "Food is such a source of comfort and can provide a powerful psychological anchor in even the craziest days," they said. "You're allowed to eat well where you can!"
The 15 Items Brits Are Urged to Stockpile
- Carbs - including rice, pasta, yeast, oats and breakfast cereals
- Canned fruit - including pears, peaches and pineapple
- Dried fruit - including banana, figs, raisins and apricots
- Vegetables - including canned tomatoes, canned sweetcorn and dried mushrooms
- Tinned/jarred proteins - including peanut butter, baked beans, tuna, corned beef and spam
- Dried proteins - including lentils, split peas and bags of nuts
- Cured/dried/smoked/salted meats - including beef jerky, salami and cured ham
- Dairy - powdered milk, condensed milk and alternatives including oat and coconut
- Spices, sauces and flavours - including ketchup, cooking oil, soy sauce, vegetable stock, salt and pepper
- Tea break supplies - including tea, coffee, hot chocolate powder and sugar
- Sweet things - including packs of biscuits, jam, nutella and marmalade
- Pets - enough pet food and treats to last at least one month
- Kitchen extras - including kitchen roll, bin bags, tin foil and washing up liquid
- Bathroom - including toilet roll, shampoo and conditioner and shower gel
- Light and power - including candles, LED candles and batteries
The campaign follows previous warnings for Brits to prepare for potential crises, with the Government emphasising readiness without alarm.
