Experts are advising households to keep a modest supply of long-life foods in case extreme weather, cyber-attacks, disease outbreaks or conflicts disrupt food supply chains. The advice is intended as sensible preparation rather than a reason for alarm, with people encouraged to remain flexible if familiar supermarket products become temporarily unavailable.

Recommended options include wholegrains, oats, rice, pasta, pulses, unsalted nuts, peanut butter, tinned oily fish, tinned fruit, pickled foods and long-life milk. Consumers should check salt and sugar levels, favour foods tinned in water, limit highly processed meats and sweet snacks, and keep bottled water, herbs and spices available; around 1,500–2,500ml of fluid is recommended daily. Canned food remains broadly comparable to fresh food nutritionally, although some B and C vitamins can decline during processing.