Paranoid or practical? Britain’s ‘Be Ready’ citizen campaign

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Tins of soup are seen for sale in a supermarket on November 10, 2026 in Northwich, England. Sales of essential goods like tinned food and bottled water have risen following the UK's 'Be Ready' emergency preparedness campaign launched on October 22 [Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]

The British government’s “Be Ready” campaign has caused a rush on tinned goods, bringing back memories of the COVID-19 pandemic when supermarkets ran dangerously low on toilet paper and online vendors were price-gouging on the internet.

In the 10 days since the campaign urging citizens in England and Wales to be ready for a national emergency was launched on October 22, sales of bottled water have risen by 67 percent; tinned and jarred food by 37 percent; and hand sanitiser by 83 percent, according to retail research firm Worldpanel by Numerator. Wind-up radios, torches and power banks have also sold out at several retailers.

British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, the campaign’s most prominent public face, says the government wants people to be “alert but not alarmed”. So what is Be Ready, why now, and is it really necessary?

Copyright for this text belongs to Al Jazeera.