{
  "id": 16309571,
  "title": "Tinned food, loo roll and power banks: the Brits following advice to stockpile",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/tinned-food-loo-roll-and-power-banks-the-brits-following-advice-to",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-24T09:00:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/24/tinned-food-loo-roll-power-banks-brits-stockpiling-government-advice"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The UK government has launched a campaign urging citizens to stockpile essential supplies like tinned foods, bottled water, medicine, and power banks to prepare for emergencies such as Russian \"state-sponsored terrorism\" and the effects of the climate crisis. Residents from various parts of the UK have been following the advice, filling their cupboards, and preparing for a range of potential crises.\n\nLawrence Barratt, from Hythe in Hampshire, is adding extra tinned and dried foods to his weekly shopping to build a stockpile over time. He's also purchasing bottled water, aims to have enough for two people for three days, and is stocking a first aid kit, portable power bank, FM radio, and torch. The portable power bank, which he has used while camping, should be able to charge phones, power TVs, and even run a small fan heater.\n\nMarco Camurri, from Greenwich in London, is gathering pasta, passata, stock cubes, tinned foods, bottled water, and medicines, along with toothpaste and toilet paper. His family, who have relatives in continental Europe, plan to temporarily leave London if there's a risk of direct attacks to the capital or an extreme infrastructure failure that jeopardizes their jobs.\n\nWhile the government's campaign encourages people to prepare for various eventualities, some residents like Jack Davenport, from North Shields on the River Tyne, are taking proactive measures due to multiple threats such as El Niño, climate-related disasters, Russian \"shadow threats,\" AI, and energy insecurity. He believes the government's aim in highlighting this advice is to reduce long-term panic by making people aware that these events are possibilities. However, Deirdre O'Sullivan, from Leicester, remains unconvinced, calling the advice reminiscent of 1970s nuclear attack preparation drills. She argues that the government's guidance appears inadequate, as it doesn't address water safety or anticipated food shortages in a timely manner.",
  "summary": "Government campaign recommends three days’ worth of stores for emergencies, but some are ahead of the game Dried foods, bottled water, medicine stocks and backup power banks: it could be the props cupboard on a disaster movie, but instead it is precisely what some UK residents are stockpiling amid official warnings about Russian “state-sponsored terrorism” and the impact of the climate crisis.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}