Country After Country Tells Citizens to Stock Three to Ten Days of Food and Water — The Risks Behind It

Governments around the world are advising people to keep several days of food, water, medicine, torches and radios at home. The United Kingdom and France are asking citizens to prepare for three days. Sweden and Norway advise about a week, and Germany recommends preparations for 10 days. The guidance has sparked fresh discussion.

According to the government guidance of various countries, several risks lie behind the preparations. They include natural disasters, extreme weather, cyber-attacks and the possibility of electricity, water and communications services being temporarily knocked out. In some European countries' preparations, war and geopolitical tensions are also factored in. But the guidance provides no basis for concluding that a specific war or disaster is imminent.

On 22 October, the UK government launched a campaign called 'Be Ready'. Its aim is for citizens to be able to meet their basic needs for at least 72 hours, or three days, in an emergency.

The British guidance advises keeping three litres of drinking water per person per day, food that does not spoil easily, essential medicines, a torch, spare batteries, a power bank and a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio.

The British government says storms, floods, power cuts or cyber-attacks could temporarily disrupt emergency services. If families can manage on their own for a few days in such a situation, rescue and relief agencies will be able to help those in greater danger first.

After the government's call, sales of emergency supplies rose significantly at several UK retailers. Supermarket chain Iceland said its sales of canned food rose 40 percent in one weekend, and sales of bottled water also increased.

Robert Dyas, a UK retailer of household and electrical goods, said its radio sales rose 160 percent compared with the previous week. Electronics retailer Maplin calculated that after the government announcement, radio sales rose 92 percent, torch sales 284 percent and power bank sales 106 percent, compared with the same period the previous month.

These figures, however, come from specific retailers. They do not support a conclusion that panic has spread across the UK or that a food crisis has emerged. Supermarket chain Iceland said its supply of essential goods, including canned food, is normal.

A report published on 28 October set out the emergency preparedness guidance of various countries. According to it, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the Netherlands, like the UK and France, also advise keeping three days of emergency supplies. Sweden and Norway advise about a week, and Germany 10 days. India's National Disaster Management Authority tells people to keep emergency equipment ready but has set no fixed period for everyone. The US government website Ready.gov also advises keeping food, water and other essentials to last a few days.

Not every country's guidance has the same reason behind it. In an earthquake-prone country like Japan, preparation for natural disasters matters most. Some regions of Australia have separate guidance for cyclones, and Cape Town in South Africa for local emergencies. Nor is all of this guidance new; many countries have run disaster preparedness programmes for a long time.

The European Commission announced its 'Preparedness Union Strategy' in March 2025, stressing that citizens of member states should build the capacity to meet their own needs for at least 72 hours. The Commission said overall preparedness is needed to face geopolitical tensions, conflict, cyber-security risks, climate change and the threat of natural disasters.

Sweden's official guidance mentions wartime situations alongside crises. Its citizens are told to keep enough food, water and other essentials to last a week. But wartime civil preparedness guidance is not new in Sweden; the country has a long history of publishing such guidance, and the recent edition gives weight to the changed security situation.

The United States, meanwhile, has taken a separate initiative to strengthen its military installations' ability to cope with emergencies. A report on 2 November said the US Department of Defense's 'Fortress America' initiative aims for key military bases to be able to operate for at least 90 days even without outside help, with plans to strengthen self-sufficiency in electricity and fuel, supply systems, emergency stockpiles and cyber security. This 90-day preparation, however, is not guidance for ordinary citizens; it is a plan to keep military installations running.

The British government has made clear that emergency preparation does not mean buying huge quantities of food or water all at once. It advises checking what is already at home and gradually adding items as needed. The guidance also stresses looking out for neighbours, writing down emergency contact numbers and considering those who need special assistance. In other words, the core message of these initiatives in various countries is to be prepared in advance for a possible crisis; they are not a definite forecast of an approaching war or food crisis.