UK households urged to stockpile bottled water amid emergency preparedness push (2025)

The government has urged all households to make sure they have a safety net in place - which includes stockpiling

In an unprecedented move, the UK government is urging households to load up their cupboards with essentials such as tinned grub, batteries, and bottled water.

This call isn't just a hedge against potential global scuffles, but a broad-spectrum readiness drive for any sort of sizeable upheaval that might hit UK– think sweeping power cuts, dry taps, or unexpected weather events.

The official Prepare website dishes out top tips for every UK home to get their defences up, nudging everyone to weave a bit of a safety net for those "just in case" moments when national crises pop up out of the blue.

The site's clear-cut message is: "Get prepared for emergencies.

"Emergencies happen every day in the UK and across the world.

"They can be caused by severe weather or other natural hazards, by deliberate actions, or as a result of accidents or infrastructure failure."

It continues: "They can be events that happen quickly and are over in a few hours, or they can develop and continue over the course of several days, months, or sometimes even longer."

Beyond mapping getaway strategies, safeguarding paperwork, and making sure your smoke alarms are on point, the government counsel is all about hoarding a proper stash of the basics, putting the spotlight on bottled water.

On how much H2O you ought to have at hand, the site notes it's a variable feast.

It really is different strokes for different folks and scenarios, and whether you want to keep it just to quench thirst or have some spare to sprinkle on cooking and washing needs, reports the Express.

The guidance states: "Bottled water – there is no standard figure for this as emergencies can vary in duration and people use different amounts.

"A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended by the World Health Organisation for survival.

"Ten litres per person per day will make you more comfortable by also providing for basic cooking and hygiene needs.

"Additional water might be needed to makeup baby formula, for medical devices and for pets."

The site also encourages stockpiling 'non perishable food' such as tinned meat, fruit, vegetables and a tin opener, alongside pet food.

It further advises to gradually build emergency supplies, suggesting: "Rather than buying all the items at once, you could just add to your emergency kit when you are able and build it up over time."

Last week, householders were warned to stock up on Sunday roast essential tin foil and now they're being told to do the same thing with tinned food.

There are two good reasons it makes sense to have a good supply of canned food in your house. The first reason is Donald Trump's blitz on tariffs has caused a full-blown trade war and fears of price rises.

On April 2, the US President who named the day 'Liberation Day, laid down tariffs on almost every country, apart from Russia.

The other reason Brits are being urged to have a stash of tinned food is because the Government says every home should have a 72 hour survival kit in their house in case of an emergency.