POLL: Brits urged to stockpile in case of nationwide disaster – however will you?
‘Stock up on tinned food, batteries and bottled water’, the government will announce today as part of a drive to prepare us Brits for emergencies.
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden is to reveal a new website aimed at helping households deal with potential risks, ranging from flooding and power outages to biosecurity crises such as a further pandemic. But retailers, concerned the appeal will lead to panic-buying, are keen to avoid a repeat of the early days of Covid where shoppers stripped shelves bare.
“While it is sensible to have some additional food at home, most households will find they already have sufficient non-perishables sitting in the cupboard,” said Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium which represents supermarkets and other retailers.
Speaking at the London Defence Conference, Mr Dowden will today stress the measures are ‘about sensible safeguards, not stockpiling’ and will describe the Prepare website as offering “practical information for households to make those preparations” for threats detailed in the government’s national risk register.
The new site will suggest households make sure they have a minimum supply of around three litres of drinking water per person per day. But realistically, for basic cooking and hygiene needs, you should aim for ten litres per person per day.
If you can’t see the poll, click here
Elsewhere on the government checklist are non-perishable foods that ‘don’t need cooking, such as ready-to-eat tinned meat, fruit or vegetables’ as well as baby supplies and pet food if necessary. The site also recommends a tin opener, batteries, wind-up torches and radios, a first aid kit, and wet wipes.
Mr Dowden will announce ‘resilience begins at home’ and refer to a poll that shows only 15 per cent of people have an emergency supply kit at home. while more than 40 per cent don’t have three days’ supplies of non-perishable food and water.
The new advice aims to bring Britain more in line with nations such as Japan and Finland, both widely regarded for what the government calls ‘citizen resilience’.
