HM Gov telling us to get tinned food and bottled water?

[DecisionTime123]

Call me old fashioned, but isn't this sort of thing likely to provoke a run on toilet rolls? Couldnt find any other threads on it, but I think there is a "preppers" topic on here somewhere. In any case, what do you think? I'm sort of concerned, should I be? Or has this gone under the radar?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/25/uk-to-warn-citizens-to-stock-up-on-food-amid-threat-from-climate-crisis-and-hostile-states

So when Covid happened the preppers were ahead in the toilet roll stakes for a week

Yeah but some of us will be more comfortable and less stressed than others while saving money.

Elsewhere on Mumsnet, people are stressing about oarking spaces. I think they shoipd be advised to dig up those spaces and plant runner beans instead. Perhaps this will bring some harmony to unhappy neighbourhoods.

I believe the intention is the custard is the pudding, because he thinks it’s not a real meal if you don’t have a pudding after it. I guess if it’s the end of days a pudding wouldn’t go a miss tbh maybe he’s on to something.

Asda should be using this as their current advertising slogan.

What others do have nothing to do with me neither is their savings.

I was one of the 10,000 who joined the 48% prepper fb group back in the heady days of brexit rumbles and tbh we were all pretty smug when the lockdown came, I for one never had to queue for food and never panic bought, If we were anything to go by the10,000 of us were out of the supply and demand loop which allowed for the most needy to get supplies.

I will never forget the image of an old man with his trolly in a supermarket where the shelves were empty or the youtube clip of the nurse in a car crying because there wasn't anything to left in the supermarkets for her to eat after her shift. I remember seeing images of people bulk buying everything that they could afford for it just Rot way.

The UK runs a just in time system of food supplies with a lead time of between 3 days and 3 weeks.

You would be crazy not to have a stock pile of supplies. I'm not advocating for panic buying but for a sensible back up rotation and restock system.

There are many groups out there that discuss best practice and tips tricks and hacks... there is no chance Im going anywhere near the masses when they are in a frenzy over bog roll.

BTW the supermarket staff deserved a industry wide pay increase for what they had to put up with, I have heard some nasty stories and thir time on the front line trying to feed the population.

Ain’t that the truth!! But it will help you keep informed and have some light in a dark evening as you eat your cold beans while drones fly overhead!

Not that I think that’s going to happen anytime soon …. but who knows what’s round the corner!

What bizarre behaviours are we seeing?

They have been saying this for months. Even a year atleast.

Pop over to the 'Preppers' thread.... 🤣

Why are people taking the piss? Nobody is talking about the end of the world, but simply about being prepared for a few days of bad weather.

Last year we had the worst storm I have seen in my area with roofs lifted off houses. During the Beast of the East my village was completerly inaccessible for a couple of days. It is likely we will have some severe storms this winter due to some weather front.

I'm on a particularly vulnerable part of the grid, we were out for 3 days during last year's severe storm so it makes sense that we stock up. We already have torches, power banks and a battery-powered radio but it makes sense to stock up on other things.

I'm going to upgrade our torches for some better light sources, get some tins, some water, make sure I've got medicine and batteries and just generally prepare for a few days with no power.

I think this report is bs. Another frothing at the mouth anti Government scare tactic

I always have roughly 2 weeks' worth of supplies. Raised by wartime parents. As PPs have said, this is normal in most other countries.

People not behaving in a civilised way in public spaces, the incredible rise in absolutely brazen shoplifting, people indulging in these dangerous social media crazes like the dangerous driving, dogs being given the same status as humans, etc etc.

The not backing farmers has already been mentioned, but surely if we do need to stockpile food, the time has come to seriously evaluate our population levels?

It's more a matter of economic priorities. The government's decided we do better by exporting whatever it is we export (arms, services and microchips afaik) and importing food.

I don't know when this was last evaluated and whether it needs reviewing.

In the event of some kind of cyber attack (which I would say is very likely now, with Burnham giving Ukraine drone blueprints that make us a target for Russian aggression. Also the IRGC promised to do something to the UK and they did in July apparently, a power station was targeted) then we could be in a situation where we'll be without power and will need some supplies in order to get by for a few days whilst things are fixed.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/23/iran-linked-hackers-blamed-cyber-attack-british-power-plant

Personally I have been a prepper now for the past decade and have enough in to get by for a couple of weeks. I think it's just common sense and is recommended in various European countries, so it's about time the UK did the same. Anything disruptive that happens, you will have a buffer at least.

I assume this is about being able to cope in the immediate aftermath of extreme weather events that might disrupt water and food supplies - flooding, storms etc. - which become more likely as global warming increases.

I didn’t notice any food shortage with Covid although I dashed out like everyone else. Hindsight is wonderful. I binned most of the stock pile of pasta and rice a few years later.

This warning is a bit more serious, terrifying, why did the UK support Ukraine and Ireland given them fist fulls of money. It’s a proxy war on behalf of America. Ukraine is hitting Iran, Zelenskyy has shut down Christian churches, his mate Netanyahu has destroyed Gaza and moved onto Lebanon, while Trump and Zelenskyy hit Iran.

You would swear that the people in power liked war. The leaked video of Lynsey Graham before his sudden dearth was telling. It’s greedy blood thirst.

Russia would probably do a better job of running Europe than the current leadership and that’s saying something.

My child would cry himself to death if we couldn’t access birds-eye potato waffles.

Huh?

Probably the whole point. Generate panic and self fulfilling shortages, keeps everyone's mind occupied

Russia would probably do a better job of running Europe than the current leadership

Really?!

Russian bot

This is guidance in literally every other developed country in the world. Ayer COVID I really struggle to believe that Petrie can be so short sighted as to NOT have a little emergency stock pile in. I’ve got 40 litres of water, various tinned foods (bacon grill, pork, tuna, veg, bolognese, chunky soup, sausage and beans), 3kg of for for emergency bread making, hut and milk powder, a camping stove and 6 gas cans, an igluu cooler and ready to go ice packs in case of electrical cuts, extra coffee and tea, soap, loo rolls. I always have spare dog and cat food.

is funny, people that know me used to take the piss out of my “zombie apocalypse plan” pre Covid but I’ve got a compromised immune system and I knew that schools would shut mid Jan. I already had my stash so I just bought things I needed for home Ed like a printer, a spare laptop ( 3 kids in school and college) , a stand mixer, a microscope and slides and home education bits. I even picked up a new lazy spa hot tub on sale and a second hand kiln and potters wheel and a bag of clay in early Feb. Then lockdown happened even thought the entire country were adamant it WASN’T going to happen and there I was with everything I needed for 6 weeks.i pulled my kids out a week earlier than shut down and even the school said I was being dramatic. But I wasn’t. My kids and DNs had the best experience in lockdown and home schooling went perfectly with plenty of enrichment and learning opportunities.

i really do not understand why in the the uk, individuals aren’t better prepared with a proper set up ( no matter how small, even an extra week of food and water is better than nothing).

It’s always worth going to your local signposting centre/church/community centre/ save from landfill place etc. I know you very likely aren’t by me but I have FOUR places near me that offer save from landfill/food support. All within 3 miles and you don’t need referral to use any of them. And I’m not even in a city, just a normal nw town. The photo I’ve attached, this shop is open twice a week, one at church (£5 shop for 12 items) and once at a school (free for 10 items). A lot of it is donated by local food producers but it’s also funded. They typically single items such as 4 loo rolls,a small washing powder ( 15 washes) , a softener, a bar of soap+ tooth brush/tooth paste, tea or coffee, a cereal and then choose your own tinned goods. They also have the most wonderfully random items from donated Amazon return pallets. The donations can’t be resold, it’s part of the contract so they are given away or used in shops for a nominal fee to cover the staff hence the items for £5 . If you can’t afford to pay for the £5 at the check you just tell them you need food support and it’s completely judgment free. We get dozens of people every week from every walk of life. You can attend both days. It’s not just for people who are destitute, it’s for everybody.