Rise in sales of radios and tinned foods, say retailers, after call to stock up

Rise in sales of radios and tinned foods, say retailers, after call to stock up

UK prepper stores see massive sales following government campaign

Some retailers have reported a sharp jump in sales of essential items after the government urged people to stock up in case of a crisis, according to figures obtained by Newsnight.

The Iceland supermarket chain said it was "clear" shoppers had heeded the warnings after it recorded a 40% rise in sales of tinned products over the weekend.

The increase followed Defence Secretary Wes Streeting's advice that people should stockpile supplies to get ready for an emergency such as a cyber attack or an extreme weather event.

Robert Dyas said sales of radios were up 160% compared with last week, while Maplin reported rises of 92% in radios, 284% in torches and 106% in power banks.

Maplin said its figures covered the period since the government's announcement last week, compared with the same period last month.

"Within hours of the Be Ready announcement we saw people reach for the basics - a torch, a wind-up radio, a power bank. Torch sales nearly quadrupled and radio sales almost doubled in three days," said Ollie Marshall, managing director at Maplin.

"These are simple, affordable products that keep a household connected and informed when the power goes out, and it's encouraging to see people taking the advice seriously."

On 22 October, Streeting said people should make sure they have three litres of water per person per day; tinned goods in the cupboard; baby food; battery powered torches and mobile phone charging packs.

Many of the items Streeting mentioned were included in the list of goods compiled by Newsnight whose sales have surged.

Asked about the rise in retail sales of certain items, the defence secretary told Newsnight: "It's encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready. Having a few everyday essentials at home, from tinned food to torches, helps households prepare for disruption, whether that's flooding, power cuts or burst pipes. We can all play our part in making Britain more resilient."

An Iceland spokesperson told the BBC programme: "It's clear consumers have listened to the government's message as we have seen a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend and strong sales of bottled water too. Our supplies of these products remain healthy."

Sales of torches and radio have risen sharply for some UK retailers

Newsnight also spoke with independent retailers who said they had seen a surge in sales of goods highlighted by the defence secretary.

Josh Pringle, from Sgt Prepper's online store, said his sales had risen tenfold: "We were a small outfit on Wednesday. And then the government launched the Be Ready campaign and we couldn't believe what we were seeing – order after order after order. Most of them were for a wind-up radio."

Lincoln Miles, founder of Preppers Shop UK, told Newsnight there had been a 650% increase in sales after the government announcement. "Everything about off grid seems to be the key of what people are buying for the minute."