Emergency food sales quadruple as Britons stock up amid fears of national disruption

Sales of emergency food supplies have reportedly quadrupled in recent weeks, with some UK households spending hundreds of pounds on long-life survival kits amid growing concerns about power cuts, cyberattacks and disruption to essential services.

According to a Daily Mail report published on 8 November, retailers are experiencing unprecedented demand for freeze-dried meals, emergency food buckets and water filtration equipment.

The surge follows the Government’s recently launched Be Ready campaign, which encourages households to keep at least three days’ worth of essential supplies in case of an emergency.

James Blake, manager of Emergency Food Storage, told the newspaper that orders had more than quadrupled over the previous eight weeks, leaving some products completely sold out.

Meanwhile, Laura Gardener, co-founder of UK outdoor food specialist Base Camp Food, reported demand exceeding anything the business had previously experienced, including during the Covid pandemic.

Emergency food becomes a fast-growing market

Traditionally associated with outdoor expeditions, camping and survival enthusiasts, freeze-dried food is increasingly being purchased by ordinary households looking for reassurance against unexpected disruption.

Base Camp Food, which originally specialised in supplying expedition meals to adventurers, has seen emergency food become one of its fastest-growing categories.

Gardener told the Daily Mail that the company had sold more than 320 personal water-filtering straws in just four days, while some larger filtration systems had sold out.

Demand for emergency food with shelf lives extending into the 2050s has also increased sharply.

Rather than relying entirely on tins and dried pasta, some households are choosing pre-packaged emergency meals that can be stored for years and prepared by adding water.

Products from manufacturers such as ReadyWise are designed specifically for emergency preparedness, with freeze-dried and dehydrated meals offering shelf lives of up to 25 years when stored correctly.

ReadyWise supplies emergency food kits containing breakfasts, lunches and main meals, with options ranging from smaller three-day supplies to larger buckets intended for longer-term storage.

Base Camp Food also stocks ReadyWise emergency food, alongside a wide range of expedition meals and other outdoor essentials.

How much are people spending on emergency food?

The Daily Mail reports that some households are spending around £700 on emergency food supplies designed to provide two meals a day for approximately six weeks.

Larger packages, including supplies intended for entire families over extended periods, can cost thousands of pounds.

However, preparing for an emergency does not necessarily require such a significant investment.

For example, Base Camp Food lists a ReadyWise 28-serving emergency food bag at £89.99, while a 60-serving pack costs £169.99.

The larger pack contains a selection of breakfasts and main meals, with approximately 13,880 calories in total.

It is important to check the calorie content rather than relying solely on the number of advertised servings, as individual portions may not constitute a complete meal.

For households considering emergency food storage, the appeal of freeze-dried products lies in their relatively compact packaging, long shelf life and ease of preparation.

Nevertheless, most require additional water, and some are best prepared with hot water. An alternative cooking method and adequate drinking water supplies should therefore form part of any emergency plan.

Government urges households to prepare for three days

The increased interest in emergency food follows the Government’s Be Ready campaign, launched in October 2026.

The initiative encourages people to consider how they would manage if electricity, water supplies, communications or electronic payment systems were temporarily unavailable.

Households are advised to keep sufficient food and water for at least three days, alongside essential medication, torches, batteries, a battery-powered or wind-up radio and other emergency supplies.

The guidance recommends approximately three litres of drinking water per person per day, with additional water needed for cooking and washing.

It also suggests keeping some cash available in case card payment systems or cash machines stop working.

While the Government’s advice focuses on three days, some preparedness specialists recommend building supplies capable of supporting a household for longer.

Is emergency food stockpiling necessary?

The latest surge in sales suggests that more Britons are taking emergency preparedness seriously.

However, building an emergency food supply does not have to mean spending hundreds of pounds immediately.

A sensible starting point is to assess what is already in the kitchen cupboards and gradually add suitable non-perishable foods, including tinned meals, rice, pasta, dried fruit, cereals and long-life milk.

These supplies can be used and replaced regularly, helping to minimise waste and spread the cost.

Specialist products, including freeze-dried meals from ReadyWise and other suppliers stocked by Base Camp Food, offer an additional option for those who want food specifically designed for longer-term storage.

Whatever approach households choose, food is only one part of emergency preparedness. Access to safe drinking water, suitable cooking equipment, medication, lighting and reliable information is equally important.

The reported increase in emergency food sales does not mean a national crisis is imminent. It does, however, suggest that more people are considering how they would cope if everyday services were suddenly interrupted.

And for many households, having a few days’ worth of essential supplies available could make a significant difference when the unexpected happens.

10 Popular Picks from Base Camp Food

Base Camp Food is an independent UK retailer of freeze-dried, dehydrated and ready-to-eat meals. These are ten of the products most worth a look if you’re building a home food store, from single meals to bulk packs.

🚚 Free UK delivery on all Base Camp Food orders over £15

1. Summit to Eat Tasty Buy

A mixed bundle of freeze-dried meals from popular UK brand Summit to Eat. It’s one of the best-reviewed bulk packs on the site and a cost-effective way to stock up on lightweight meals that only need hot water.

Price: £79.99 (was £91.76)

2. Wayfayrer Ready to Eat Bulk Buy Ration Pack – 30 Meals

Thirty wet-pouch meals that can be eaten hot or straight from the pack, with no water needed. That makes them ideal for a power cut or water outage, and a strong choice for any household emergency kit.

Price: £150.00 (was £178.50)

3. Wayfayrer Ready to Eat Tasty Buy

A smaller, cheaper way into the Wayfayrer range. Good if you want to taste-test ready-to-eat meals before committing to a bigger order.

Price: £83.00 (was £95.20)

4. Wayfayrer Meatballs and Pasta

The most-reviewed single meal we found on the site. A filling, familiar comfort meal that’s ready to eat cold or warmed in the pouch.

Price: £4.95

5. Wayfayrer Pasta Bolognese

Another customer favourite from Wayfayrer. A classic that’s easy to rotate through your stores and use before its best-before date.

Price: £5.95

6. Real Turmat 14 Meal Ration Pack

Norwegian freeze-dried meals covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Real Turmat is known for its quality ingredients, and this pack gives you a solid week of varied meals.

Price: £123.25 (was £145.00)

7. Real Turmat Tasty Bulk Buy Ration Pack – 60 Meals

The serious stockpiler’s option. Sixty freeze-dried meals in one order, at a meaningful discount on buying them individually.

Price: £540.00 (was £660.00)

8. Base Camp Food Tasty Mixed Bundle

Base Camp Food’s own featured bundle, mixing meals from several brands so you can find out which ones you actually like. Available in meat or vegetarian versions.

Price: £74.00 (was £87.00)

9. ReadyWise Freeze-Dried Emergency Food Dry Bag – 60 Servings

A purpose-built emergency food supply from ReadyWise, packed in a dry bag for easy storage and grab-and-go use. One of the headline products in Base Camp Food’s survival range.

Price: £169.99

10. Fuel Your Preparation Chicken Fajita with Rice – 25 Year Tin

Freeze-dried chicken fajita with rice, sealed in a tin designed for long-term storage. Built for the back of the cupboard and forgotten about until you need it.

Price: £57.00

🚚 Free UK delivery on orders over £15.
Browse the full Base Camp Food range

Prices and stock correct at time of writing (November 2026) and may change.

Sources: Daily Mail, 8 November 2026; Sky News, 23 October 2026; Base Camp Food; ReadyWise UK.

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