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    Retailers report sales jumps after Wes Streeting urges emergency stockpiling

    Business

    Published

    Iceland, Maplin and Robert Dyas gave BBC Newsnight figures showing stronger demand for tinned food, radios, torches and power banks after the Be Ready campaign.

    Several retailers saw essential goods sales climb sharply after Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told the public to stockpile for emergencies like cyber attacks or extreme weather, according to Newsnight figures reported by BBC News.

    Iceland said its tinned product sales rose 40% over the weekend, with bottled water also selling strongly and supplies still healthy.

    Robert Dyas put radio sales 160% above last week, while Maplin, measuring against the same period last month, reported rises of 92% for radios, 284% for torches and 106% for power banks.

    Sgt Prepper's and Preppers Shop UK reported tenfold and 650% sales increases respectively after the announcement.

    Why it matters

    Newsnight found that many goods on Streeting's 22 October list, such as tinned food and torches, were among those with sharply higher sales, a response Streeting called encouraging.

    Claims & sources
    1. c1

      Newsnight obtained figures indicating that some retailers saw sales of essential goods rise sharply once the government urged the public to stock up for a possible crisis.

    2. c3

      The increase followed a call from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting for people to stockpile goods ahead of emergencies such as extreme weather or a cyber attack.

    3. c11

      According to an Iceland spokesperson, the chain's tinned product sales climbed 40% over the weekend, bottled water also sold well, and stocks of those products remain healthy.

    4. c4

      Radio sales at Robert Dyas were 160% higher than the previous week, while Maplin cited gains of 92% for radios, 284% for torches and 106% for power banks.

    5. c5

      Maplin measured its figures over the days since the government announcement last week, against the equivalent period a month earlier.

    6. c13

      Josh Pringle of the online store Sgt Prepper's said the store's sales grew tenfold after the Be Ready campaign was launched.

    7. c14

      Preppers Shop UK founder Lincoln Miles told Newsnight that sales jumped 650% following the government announcement.

    8. c8

      On 22 October, Streeting advised households to keep tinned goods, baby food, battery torches, phone charging packs and three litres of water per person per day.

    9. c9

      Newsnight found that many of the items Streeting listed were among the goods with sharply higher sales.

    10. c10

      Streeting told Newsnight it was encouraging to see people take practical steps to get ready for disruption.

    Original sources

    1. BBC News
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