Britain's "Be Ready" campaign has prompted a rush for emergency supplies, with generator purchases at Toolstation jumping 172% during the week of its announcement, according to the retailer.
The buying extends beyond generators: shoppers are also stocking up on bottled water, baked beans, and torches.
Here's what to know
Cyberattacks and severe weather feature alongside power cuts among the emergencies covered. The government initiative asks households to prepare for disruptions to essential services that could last up to three days, according to London Loves Business.
Toolstation, a retailer supplying DIY customers and tradespeople, also reported a 61% increase in torch sales and a 25% rise in headtorch purchases, according to London Loves Business.
A Toolstation spokesperson said the retailer had "understandably seen an increase in demand for emergency equipment in response to the new campaign."
More background
Shortly after the Labour government launched "Be Ready," customers of online supermarket Ocado found batteries, bottled water, and baked beans unavailable. The buying rush has not been confined to emergency equipment.
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Iceland separately reported that canned-product sales rose 40%. Alongside Toolstation's equipment figures, the increase suggests shoppers are preparing not only for a loss of electricity but also for disruptions to food and drinking water access.
The report did not establish how widespread those shortages were or how long they lasted. The unavailable items alone do not establish a nationwide supply problem.
What can be done?
The campaign aims to encourage readiness, not forecast a specific emergency.
Working out what a household would need before a rush begins could help residents avoid searching for essentials when those items are temporarily unavailable, as Ocado customers experienced after the campaign's launch.
Toolstation emphasized that emergency supplies can be useful during disruptions of different scales.
"Whether it's a local power outage or a nationwide issue, products such as generators and torches are always important to keep stored in the house," its spokesperson said.
Where can I learn more?
The rush for supplies raises a practical question: what does a household need to get through a disruption? These stories follow UK households building emergency supplies and a generator owner discovering gaps during an outage.
• A prepper stocked 50 liters of water, solar backup, and two go bags.
• Preppers are stocking up for Tuesday, focusing on everyday disruptions rather than doomsday.
• A power cut alert prompted a new parent to start preparing.
• A prepper's annual £200 purchase created a month-long food buffer for four.
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