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

Why on earth did you bin the rice and pasta? Why not just USE it?

One thing that perhaps will change, is the obscene level of food waste in the U.K.

And this is preppers doing these bizarre and reckless things is it? 🙃

Funny, they've always seemed very sane and civilised when I've popped over to their board

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/preppers

I've kept a small stash in since pre-brexit and have had cause to be grateful for their advice on a few occasions since. I was especially glad that I didn't need to go anywhere near the shops during the Great Bog Roll Wars of 2020.

Gradually accumulating one or two extra items a week over the course of several months will not cause shortages. These days it probably is a privilege to be able to afford those extra couple of bits on top of the normal shop and I'm aware that not everyone is able to do that, but if those of us who can, do, then when the SHTF we are at least not adding to the pressure - we are leaving more on the shelves for those who can't stock up ahead.

I'm late 50s, so over the years have realised you have a back up if the most obviously infrastructure fails.

2007 floods, you couldn't leave your home without getting soaked, water was everywhere on the ground and above. Having clothes you can easily wade through water in are worth keeping.

During the floods, we lost our water for two weeks due to water works beng flooded. I didn't know about panic buying, but got to the supermarket that afternoon to find it was basically empty - everything that didn't need cooking/easy just to open and eat, canned veggies with liquid had gone and drinks had all gone. Bottled water didn't kick in until the next day, massive queue and you could only have four bottles at a time - I wanted some for my Mum and we ended up sharing ours with her until the next day.

We've had quite a few power cuts over the years, if it really bothers you you can't have a hot drink/some soup, make sure you've got a mini gas cooker.

More so in recent times, but panic buying seems to have got worse, especially toilet rolls. I always make sure I've got a few essentials in, so we've got a back up or at least something that would be ok as an alternative. Won't totally help climate crisis, but if you can't get the fresh veg or fruit you wanted, if you've got a tin of fruit, peas or carrots, at least you've got something.

Matches, candles, torches I'd expect most people to have, but maybe not.

I have to admit, we haven't got loads, but it's enough to save us doing a panic buy for some bread (in freezer), toilet rolls, milk (always have long life in case goes off) - therefore, we're not putting immediate pressure on ourselves and the supermarkets.

Most countries it’s seen as normal to have 3 days supply of water and food but here it’s crazy?? Floods and outages can cause a lack of water. We’ve lived through queueing for water and having it in the shed would have made life easier.

@PencilsInSpace

And this is preppers doing these bizarre and reckless things is it?

Sorry but my post had nothing to do with preppers ! Tbh I know hardly anything about preppers, didn't even know there were people called preppers until they were mentioned on another MN thread a few months ago and someone mentioned there was an MN board about prepping.

My post was in response to the OP and the proposed advice that the government was going to issue to the general public which, imo ,will create shock and lead to panic buying.

Fwiw I always keep a stock of tinned and dried food in the house but that's because I live alone, don't have a car, and I need to be prepared if for any reason, such as I'll health, I can't get to the supernarket. I also have candles in case there is a power cut - a habit i learnt from.my childhood. And a few small bottles of water in case I need to take them to events. Nothing at all to do with preparing for natural or man made disasters. Just common sense.

And whereas i found the warning exceptionally worrying and depressing I m certainly not going to react to it in an ott manner. But I have absolutely no doubt it will trigger a percentage of people to behave selfishly and irrationally

My dh answer to this is to order crates of wine, I am not sure this is going to see us through the 'end of days' I have ordered some more practical items! We have to be prepared as we live rurally, so this is normal for us to stock up in the autumn in preparation for the winter, and has always happened here.

Who are we at war with this week then? I can't really keep up 🙈 is it still the Russians? Can I throw toilet rolls at them if they turn up on our doorstep? If I give them enough stockpiled pasta will they give ds a job swabbing their decks?

Did you miss the bit where I said I’m ECV and on injections that mean I get sick very easily? I’ve had pneumonia 9 times and shingles7 times in 7 years and looking at my gp record I’ve needed 34 courses of antibiotics in that time on top. I NEED a stick pile of food and have done for the last 12 years because I had children at home and I was often so sick or in hospital and the last thing I wanted to worry about was my kids running out of food, loo roll etc. and while you were in the shops buying your Covid stuff with the rest of the country, I was sat at home with my chest freezer and enough supplies that meant I didn’t need to go to the shops for five weeks. What I was ACTUALLY doing is what the government said….i stayed at home, protected myself and made sure the NHS didn’t have to look after me while weekly deaths shot through the roof.

you say I’m taking nonsense and yet it worked perfectly well in a real life scenario just a few years ago and I followed the governments advice from day one to stay safe, and short sighted idiots are STILL mocking the very people that had the supplies already at home that meant that YOU could buy the stuff that they didn’t need that was sat in the shops. If the preppers hadn’t prepped, the shelves would have been bare. Can you honestly not see that 🤷🏼‍♀️😂🫠

What most countries are people taking about? I’ve literally never heard this as some kind of national trait for any country.

Well I'm a half arsed prepper so I already have enough water to last a few days as we do loose water, have a disabled child registered either the water company but never get a delivery when the water goes.

We are prepping for another summer like this. Ds has set up a wildlife pond for the beasties and we will buy some waterbutts.

The El Nino is predicted to be hottest ever so who knows what's going to bring for crops. Ignoring climate change completely isn't going to help. I haven't seen a single honey bee all summer. If I can water my garden, plant out some insect attracting plants and provide a pond for wildlife to drink from, I'm willing to look stupid if it rains s all next summer.

This is not new news.

It was around a few weeks ago.

The gist of it then was that the UK needs to be ready for cyber attacks which may affect supplies of food, water , utilities.
There is a constant threat from Russia and attacks are not liikely to be bombs but crippling our infrastructure, making life unpleasant. All it takes is a small glitch to the software and there will be huge shortages.

The advice is you have enough food etc for a week to 10 days.
We have a few extras in the freezer and tins in the garage- tinned fish, fruit, etc plus water and a small camping stove.

It's just sensible planning- not panic buying at all.

It’s not a national trait. It’s just standard advice almost everywhere to have a certain amount of emergency supplies. Water, shelf stable food, camping stove etc.

EU- 72 hours
US- “several days”
Norway- 3 days (in line with the EU)
Australia- 3 days
New Zealand- A week is recommended as ideal and 3 days minimum.
Japan- 7 days

When we had bad floods here in 2000, both supermarkets were closed, one for several days and the other for a few weeks. No-one could get any shopping unless they were able to drive 7 miles to the next nearest one, and shops further afield wouldn't deliver for a few days as they couldn't be sure which addresses were accessible.

I was glad I had a full freezer and plenty of tinned stuff.

Ah, back to the late 60s - no lighting or heating, sandwiches and playing cards by candlelight … Not all the time of course, but my strongest memory of those days. Oh and no transistor radio, so limited access to news (basically rumours from others).

I think people take the efficient supply chains we have for granted.
It will happen- there will be hacks etc and we will have a cyber attack.

There have already been some- NHS medical records lost/ stolen, North Sea underwater cables cut, and more. Most we aren't hearing about but the threats are real.

We should all have a supply of cash too because the ATMs may be out of action and shops may not be able to process cards.

This is not panicking- it's being prepared.

The difference is that was a result of strikes etc by our unions, not a cyber attack from Russia.

Added a thread on the prepper forum in case this one overflows.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/preppers

I think we could start listening to preppers actually. People see it as anxiety - but being organised and ready for any scenario, particularly if you have young babies and children or those with health vulnerabilities is not foolish, it is sensible. Planning for the worst, and hoping for the best is the way to go.

Well I may just go get some heinz beans as they are in offer at farmfoods
how many though 🤔

Have you never watched The 100? 😄 A.L.I.E, the AI, achieved her prime directive to help Mankind - but not in a good way!

No, you’re wrong! The government has done something, they’ve told us to stock up on beans. Sorted.

Actually bottled water does have a use by date, only a few month I think, maybe due to the plastic bottle degrading. I bought some large bottles after our water supply was disrupted for two days with no warning and we were given drinking water but none for flushing the toilet.

That water is now out of date so I won’t be drinking it but I’m keeping it for other uses.

I do usually have a few small bottles I keep in the car in case I go out forgetting to take a drink, I have to take pain meds regularly so it’s easier than having to buy a bottle when out. Oddly, I have a case of 12 in tomorrow’s order so I really hope there isn’t a run on water, it’s all I drink apart from alcohol!

I do however have some water purifying tablets that I bought a while ago when my son went wild camping, I must check if they have a limited shelf life!

However, I don’t really think having a few bottles of water will really help us in an emergency, surely no one can store enough for more than a few days?

The poster said “Most countries it’s seen as normal to have 3 days supply of water and food but here it’s crazy?” not that saying it’s advice/ guidance in most countries.
After all, It’s the advice here yet most don’t Do it.

I have friends and family in many of those countries (I’m in one of them now) and I can assure they don’t keep these supplies you’ve listed

Bottled water usually has a few years on it, not months.

Will there be some issues with it - probably, but if it's that or no water then I guess I'll take the bottled.

It can always be used for non potable uses anyway.

I know 😭😭😭😭😭😭 fucksake