Paranoid or practical? Britain’s ‘Be Ready’ citizen campaign
Summary
The British government launched its three-year “Be Ready” campaign on October 22, asking households in England and Wales to prepare to manage without key services for 72 hours during an emergency. Retail sales of several suggested supplies rose after the launch, as officials cited risks including severe weather, cyberattacks and disruptions to critical infrastructure.Key Facts
- The campaign asks households in England and Wales to prepare for possible outages of electricity, water, phone and internet services.
- Its checklist recommends supplies such as bottled water, long-life food, a torch, batteries, a radio, cash, medication and a first aid kit.
- In the 10 days after the campaign launched, bottled-water sales rose 67 percent, tinned and jarred food sales rose 37 percent, and hand-sanitiser sales rose 83 percent, according to Worldpanel by Numerator.
- Supermarket chain Iceland said sales of tinned products rose 40 percent over the first weekend of the campaign.
- A Cabinet Office survey found that 13 percent of respondents considered their household largely or totally prepared for an emergency, while 84 percent wanted more government advice.
- The government says the campaign addresses everyday emergencies such as storms, floods, wildfires and burst water pipes, as well as risks to critical infrastructure.
- The European Commission’s 2025 preparedness strategy recommends that people be able to cope alone for at least 72 hours; Sweden, Finland, Poland and the Czech Republic also have preparedness initiatives.
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