The deputy PM Oliver Dowden recently advised that every household in the UK should stockpile emergency supplies - at least three days worth of food an water, along with analogue radios and torches.

While this is hardly to a level engaged in by more extremist preppers, who aim for months or even years of stocks to sustain them during a longer term crisis, this announcement was more about suggesting people should be prepped for shorter term emergencies.

Dowden's rational for this was that we live in a dangerous and uncertain world, where the possibility of geopolitical shocks such as pandemics can happen at very short notice.

Prepping has definately become more popular in the UK. There are now dedicated stores devoted to it, such as the Preppers Shop UK, based near Newquay in Cornwall.

From this store you can purchase all manner of survivalist equipment ranging from ready made bug out bags, which are more about quick holiday getaways, to full-on chemical disaster kits.

They also have a range of weapons, which in the UK really only extends to archery, this not being a gun shop.

The normalisation of prepping....?

I've never really associated prepping with convenience, but here we have it with some of the product ranges...

The Emergency bug out bag, for example, is pre-packed with a range of items including hammock, compass, parachord (essential!), obvs a torch, folding saw, axe, and even a gas mask. It basically has everything you need bar a knife, which I guess isn't in there because of the legal ramifications, like probably with this you can sell it to a much younger audience.

Not sure about the value, without the gas mask it certainly isn't £270 worth of kit, but I have no idea how much gas masks go for, for what quality, this one is military grade.

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And they even have a mystery box, the point of which I don't really get!

The shop had a lot of preppy type kit for a range of different scenarios - from car emergency kits to fun getaways to actual proper survival scenarios!

Prepping Stores Final Thoughts...!

It would seem that prepping has moved beyond the realms of conspiracy nutjobs, it has gone mainstream and now there are several different shades of prepper, which is increasingly in vogue.

Of course ironically if you're the kind of person that would by a mystery prepping box, then you're maybe not the kind of person who's going to do that well going through an IRL emergency situation...?!?

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Mystery box buyers will be among the first to come to grief.

If the power and water went out then most of us would be in trouble. We do have camping kit. A space gas cylinder could be useful. I'm not that prepared for trouble otherwise. I expect a lot of people on Hive are though as they may think our systems could collapse.

OFC - we're a sceptical lot here!

It basically has everything you need bar a knife

Which is probably the most useful tool in a disaster scenario.

Weird that beginning preppers seem to obsess on bug out bags. In 99% of disaster emergencies you’d likely be bugging in and staying with supplies.

bugging in

Well said! Totally right!

Keep up the good work. 👏

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In Texas, and certainly other states on the Gulf of Mexico, it's a practical matter as we always run the risk of hurricanes knocking out power for a few days. Safety is less of a concern as guns are relatively easy to buy.

In our home, we have canned goods, a propane powered generator, and a bunch of Ryobi batteries with inverters. I even got into amateur radio to have backup communications, just in case. We aren't preppers. But we are prepared.

Sounds like yr well prepped to me!

I'd have to buy the mystery box! But I'd check it before an emergency arrived.
Coincidentally, I already have a couple of large bottles of water. I must check whether they have a use by date on them.

check it before an emergency arrived...

You're no fun!

I have a (well) above average level of preparation and feel better for it. I also believe people should have at least a basic prep in their household and I'd say three days of food and water and some basic medical supplies (which all households should have anyway) is the absolute minimum.

The sad reality is that people are losing or have lost their ability for self reliance and think the government (or anyone else but themselves) will take care of them. The cold hard fact is that that's not true.

So, a little preparation is a good idea...no mystery boxes though.

I 100% agree we should be prepped! I'd go for at least a couple of weeks ideally a month myself! X

Yep, I work with two months of supplies and rotate them around so they're always edible. It's also wise to rotate medications, first aid stuff and all. But having said all this...three days is a good place to start and better than none which is what most have.

With you on the rotation - I keep it pretty simple too!

The Normalisation of Prepping...?

The normalisation of prepping....?

Prepping Stores Final Thoughts...!

Keep up the good work. 👏

You are loved.