Supermarkets warn against panic buying as Britons told to have three days of supplies stashed

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Supermarkets have warned against panic buying after the Government launched a website telling Britons to have three days’ worth of tinned food and water to prepare for an emergency.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has revealed a new site to advise people how to be ready for various risks such as flooding, power outages, another pandemic or biosecurity crisis.

The “Prepare” website tells people to put together an emergency kit including wind-up torches, at least three litres of bottled water, and food that doesn’t need cooking such as tinned meat or vegetables.

But retailers have warned shoppers to build their resources over time rather than taking part in pandemic styled panic buying.

Supermarket shelves were stripped bare as the country was landed in lockdown, with snaking queues and overloaded trolleys pictured at shops.

Andrew Opie, director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, told MailOnline: “Retailers did an excellent job ensuring the country had access to food and other necessities throughout the pandemic, and we are confident they will rise to future challenges.

“While it is sensible to have some additional food at home, most households will find they already have sufficient non-perishables sitting in the cupboard.”

Ministers hope that individual households being prepared will take the pressure off emergency services when dealing with a crisis.

The Prepare website encourages people to find out more about the risks in their area and sign up for alerts and warnings.

It also tells people to work out the best escape route from their home in case there is a fire or flood.

It adds that people should write down important phone numbers and store them somewhere easy to find in a power cut.

The website advises people to talk to their children about what to do in an emergency, including how to call the emergency services.

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