Daily Star, on UK Politics, 28 October 2026

6.0out of 10Serious

thanks to stockpiling

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.1 finding

Brits are snapping up emergency supplies in a new stockpiling frenzy that threatens the return of the bog roll bandits. Shoppers are rushing to buy tinned food, torches and radios after the Government urged households to prepare for potential disasters. The spree has sparked memories of the panic-buying madness during Covid, when hoarders stripped supermarket shelves bare of toilet rolls, pasta and other essentials. Now ministers have urged Brits to stash away three days' worth of food, water and other supplies in case essential services grind to a halt.

Iceland reported a 40% surge in sales of tinned goods over the weekend, with bottled water also proving popular. Robert Dyas saw demand for radios rocket by 160% compared with the previous week. Electrical retailer Maplin reported a whopping 284% jump in torch sales, while power banks were up 106% and radios 92%. The rush follows the launch of the Government's new "be ready" campaign, aimed at coping with emergencies including floods, power cuts and burst pipes.

Officials recommend keeping bottled water, non-perishable food and a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio handy in case normal services are disrupted. Households are also advised to have some cash tucked away in case card machines and cashpoints stop working. The advice is part of a three-year drive to make Britain better prepared for disasters including a cyber attack by rogue states. But supermarket bosses insisted there was no need to panic.

An Iceland spokesperson said: “It's clear consumers have listened to the Government's message as we have seen a 40% increase in sales of tinned products over the weekend and strong sales of bottled water too. Our supplies of these products remain healthy.” Defence Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the rush to get prepared. He said: “It's encouraging that people are taking practical steps to be ready. “Having a few everyday essentials at home, from tinned food to torches, helps households prepare for disruption, whether that's flooding, power cuts or burst pipes.

We can all play our part in making Britain more resilient.”

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What we found (1)

The Daily Star's headline tells readers that UK shops are running out of household items because of Government fears of a third world war. Its own article reports neither. The only retailer quoted says its supplies remain healthy, and the campaign the article describes is about floods, power cuts, burst pipes and cyber attacks.

  1. Headline goes beyond the article

    Serious

    “UK shops running out of household items”

    Why this matters
    The headline states as fact that UK shops are running out of household items.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes shelves are emptying across the country and shortages have begun.
    The context
    Nothing in the article reports any shop running out of anything. The only retailer quoted, Iceland, says its supplies of the products in demand remain healthy, and supermarket bosses told the Star there was no need to panic.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“Our supplies of these products remain healthy.”
    • Elsewhere in the article“supermarket bosses insisted there was no need to panic”

    Show it in the article

    “sparked by Government WW3 fears”

    Why this matters
    The headline says the stockpiling was sparked by Government fears of a third world war.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes ministers have warned of, or are preparing for, a world war.
    The context
    The body never mentions war. It says the "be ready" campaign is aimed at floods, power cuts and burst pipes, and at a cyber attack by rogue states. Streeting's own quoted words name flooding, power cuts and burst pipes. The Star's earlier report of the launch quotes him saying people should be "alert but not alarmed".

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Shoppers buy tinned food, torches and radios after Government emergency preparedness campaign, as retailers say supplies remain healthy.

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