Hand Sanitiser Sales Up 83% as 'Be Ready' Campaign Drives Stockpiling Surge

Sales of emergency supplies surged in the immediate aftermath of the government's 'Be Ready' campaign, with hand sanitiser purchases jumping 83% as households responded to official guidance on stockpiling essentials^[1].

According to data from retail research firm Worldpanel by Numerator^[1], sales of bottled water rose 67% and tinned and jarred goods climbed 37% in the 10 days following the campaign's launch on 22 October. The increases represent substantial shifts in consumer behaviour, with sales of tinned and jarred goods rising from £58.2m in the 10 days to 2 November 2025 to £79.5m over the same period in 2026^[1].

Bottled water sales jumped from £13.6m to £22.8m year-on-year, while hand sanitiser sales climbed from £497,000 to £908,000^[1].

Gradual Stockpiling, Not Panic Buying

The government's public awareness campaign encouraged households to keep three days-worth of food and water at home in case of disruption to essential services caused by severe weather or cyberattacks^[1]. Wet wipes, a torch and cash were also recommended^[1].

However, Worldpanel said the pattern of purchases indicated gradual preparation rather than panic buying. After the campaign launch, the equivalent of an extra 400,000 people per day bought tinned meat, although the typical amount remained at 500g, suggesting a measured response^[1].

"Shoppers clearly took notice of the 'Be Ready' campaign, but this wasn't panic buying, with less than a third of households buying bottled water in October," said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator^[1].

"Growth came from more people adding the recommended items on the government's checklist to their weekly shop, not from shoppers piling their trolleys high, which is very much in line with what the government wanted households to do," he said^[1].

Food Manufacturers Report Demand Increase

Further evidence of stockpiling came from food firm Princes, which said demand for tinned tuna, meat and vegetables had risen following the government's campaign^[1].

Princes interim chief executive Giuseppe Mastrolia said the jump in demand "further reinforces the relevance of our core categories in providing affordable, nutritious and convenient food solutions"^[1].

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said everyone should have "those supplies in the house to get you through those moments"^[1]. Disaster recovery expert Lucy Easthope previously told the BBC^[1] that the UK was playing "massive catch up" to other European nations including France, Germany and Denmark in terms of preparedness^[1].

UK Register Context

Across the UK company register, 14,582 new companies were incorporated in the seven days to 11 November 2026, according to CompanyPulse data^[2]. The register tracks 5,429,395 active companies in total^[2].

Daily incorporation counts for the period show 3,413 companies registered on 10 November and 2,500 on 9 November, with lower counts of 165 on 11 November and 415 on 8 November likely reflecting processing lags rather than actual formation patterns^[2].

Economy-wide, the top sectors by company count remain property-related activities, with 448,116 companies registered under SIC code 68209 (other letting and operating of own or leased real estate) and 276,132 under code 68100 (buying and selling of own real estate)^[2]. Retail sale via mail order or internet accounts for 206,719 active companies (SIC 47910)^[2].

Across all UK company officers - directors, secretaries and other appointments - the register records 36,838,036 active officers and 5,658,121 resigned officers, totalling 42,496,157 officer records^[2]. These figures represent the entire UK register and are not specific to emergency supply or retail sectors.

Policy Implications

The 'Be Ready' campaign marks a shift in UK government policy towards household resilience. The campaign warns that severe weather and cyber attacks could disrupt essential services, and recommends households stockpile bottled water and long-life food that doesn't need refrigeration, such as dried fruit and nuts^[1].

The measured response from consumers - with growth driven by more households adding recommended items to weekly shopping rather than bulk purchases - suggests the messaging achieved its intended effect without triggering the supply disruptions associated with panic buying.

As European nations with more established household preparedness programmes demonstrate, the trend towards consumer stockpiling may represent a longer-term shift in purchasing patterns rather than a temporary spike, with implications for retail inventory management and supply chain planning across the food and household goods sectors.