Sharp rise in sales of some essential goods after government call to stock up

ByNicholas WattPolitical editor, Newsnight and Bernadette Kehoe

Some major retailers have seen a dramatic increase in sales of essential goods after the government called on the nation to stock up in case of a crisis, according to figures obtained by BBC Newsnight.

The Iceland supermarket chain told the programme it was "clear" that consumers had listened to warnings after it saw a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend.

The rise in sales came after Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said last week that people should stockpile goods to be prepared for an emergency such as a cyber attack or an extreme weather event.

Many of the items cited by Streeting appeared in the list of goods gathered by Newsnight whose sales have shot up.

Newsnight also found:

• Robert Dyas reported a 160% increase in sales of radios compared with last week;

• Maplin said radio sales are up by 92%, sales of torches have gone up by 284%, and power banks have seen a rise of 106%.

The Maplin figures cover the period since the government's announcement last week compared with the same period last month.

"Within hours of the Be Ready announcement we saw people reach for the basics - a torch, a wind-up radio, a power bank. Torch sales nearly quadrupled and radio sales almost doubled in three days," said Ollie Marshall, managing director at Maplin.

"These are simple, affordable products that keep a household connected and informed when the power goes out, and it's encouraging to see people taking the advice seriously."

On 22 October, Streeting said that people should ensure they have three litres of water per person per day; tinned goods in the cupboard; baby food; battery powered torches and mobile phone charging packs.

In response to the increase in retail sales of certain items, the defence secretary told Newsnight: "It's encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready. Having a few everyday essentials at home, from tinned food to torches, helps households prepare for disruption, whether that's flooding, power cuts or burst pipes. We can all play our part in making Britain more resilient."

An Iceland spokesperson told the BBC programme: "It's clear consumers have listened to the government's message as we have seen a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend and strong sales of bottled water too. Our supplies of these products remain healthy."

Newsnight also spoke to independent retailers who reported a spike in sales of goods highlighted by the defence secretary.

Josh Pringle, from Sgt Prepper's online store, said his sales had increased tenfold: "We were a small outfit on Wednesday. And then the government launched the Be Ready campaign and we couldn't believe what we were seeing – order after order after order. Most of them were for a wind-up radio."

Lincoln Miles, founder of Preppers Shop UK, told Newsnight of a 650% increase in sales after the government announcement. "Everything about off grid seems to be the key of what people are buying for the minute."