UK to warn citizens to stock up on food

[TheNoonBell]

As there is already a thread on chat I thought I would link it here as it will drop off the other board.

Original thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5570978-hm-gov-telling-us-to-get-tinned-food-and-bottled-water

Link: 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

Time to get in the winter supplies now before the candles and lanterns sell out. Very impressed with the new USBC Blukar battery lanterns after testing them this summer: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blukar-Camping-Rechargeable-Lantern-Essentials/dp/B0GVNKNM6C

yes it is. The price has gone up since I bought it a few days ago probably because it is about to sell out by looks of it. I have got it on charge just now but haven't used it to make tea or anything. I have to say it does seem like a high quality product. Very solid and well made. As long as it does what it is meant to I think I am glad I bought it. With all the doom and gloom I am going to need my cups of tea if the power goes off and although I have a gas hob that's a faff for just boiling water.

I just watched this today. It's a movie but shot like a documentary. Reminded me of threads. About a powercut in Britain for 4-5 days. Very scary to watch.
Don't watch it if you are anxious!

I hadn't seen this one, am watching now. Had a chuckle at the advice to 'Go in, Stay in, Tune in' - always a slogan! 😂

I thought that! If you have a camping stove and a camping kettle already that should do if you don't mind making tea outside. A metal camping kettle isn't going to cost anywhere near that and won't need charging. Best to avoid anythibg that needs charging (As an asthmatic, if any apocalypse involves air too bad to be outside I would be dead anyway so not prepping for that!

ETA a camping kettle would be fine on gas hob inside.

I've gone for a British Army camping stove (it's absolutely tiny) which runs on Fire Dragon solid fuel blocks (they are also tiny, and more like a gel), along with a titanium pot to heat water. I then plan to pour very hot water into a thermos to keep for cups of tea and also am going to practice heating a few things to see how that goes. Yes it relies on having those fuel cubes but at least it gives me a way to heat water and probably small amounts of food. Gas canisters freak me out a bit!

Hmm interesting, both online stores I shop at, Ocado and Waitrose, are out of tinned sardines of all persuasions. I think people are starting to stock up on food. Even on Amazon I couldn't bulk buy sardines in oliive oil as I normally can do.

sainsbury;s had no sardine;s yesterday but tesco had loads

The sardines shortage is nothing to do with people stocking up, it is a supply problem. I was in France over the summer and there were no. Tinned sardines there either
https://fortune.com/2026/08/31/double-whammy-america-tinned-fish-sardines-shrinking-climate-change-iran-war/

forgive me, i was not born british but the discussion about cups of tea and kettles when we are talking about major disruptions makes me smile (in a good way)!! So British 😅😅 I love it (and i love a cup of tea too!)

Hah well you can't have the Apocalypse without a good brew to hand! 😂The sheer horror of it! 😱

Oh goodness, double whammy indeed. Interesting article, thanks for posting!

I admit. It was a luxury purchase. I have a gas hob in the house. I bought lighters to light the hob if the power goes off. However I don't know if I will use them. I am kinda nervous around gas at the best of times. My plan is not to use the hob unless the power cuts are for days and days. If it's just for a few hours, the battery kettle will suffice and I will eat my tinned fish and oatcakes or some cereal with long life milk.

Of course there is always a chance gas supply is interrupted as well. Hoping not but god dammit I will have my cup of tea!! End of the world or not.

My car is 10 years old, my trainers are from Sainsbury's and my sofa is from Ikea but I will have my cup of tea if the world is ending!! (not lost my sense of humour at least).
Jokes aside I am normally pretty frugal with my money and this just buys me peace of mind as an avid tea drinker. I can cope with alot but not the loss of that.

I have had my first cup of tea from it tonight just to try it out and indeed the water was boiling. In fact I would say just as hot as from a normal kettle if not hotter. I will use it for cup a soups too and pretend I am very posh.

Ha, yes I have my priorities straight 😉

Oh god, flashback to covid and the 'eat out to help out' slogan.