‘I’ve bought a year’s worth of tinned food for my rescue dog’

Charity worker Helena Adams, 27, lives with her dog Charlie in a flat in Cardiff.

She says, “As far back as last Spring, I started thinking I should have a contingency plan, but I only started acting on it in November and buying extra when I went to the supermarket. For me, it was about creating a no-lose scenario. It might be that there are no shortages, in which case I will gradually eat my surplus food, but if there are issues, then I’ll be very grateful for the extra food I’ve bought.

“I’ve been very organised and worked out what I will need. I have a colour-coded spreadsheet showing what I’ve bought. For example, anything in green means I have enough of that item to cover me for three months; grey means it has a shorter shelf life, so I will buy nearer the time; orange means I’ve partly purchased what I estimate I will need. By the time I’ve finished in March, I will have also factored in about a year’s worth of tinned food for my rescue dog, Charlie. I worry that food for animals will be very low on the list of priorities and I can’t risk him not being able to eat.

“And it’s not just food – beauty products, loo roll and even booze could be in short supply. I don’t intend to carry on to this level forever, but at the moment my bookshelves are cleared of books and filled with food. The only extra money I’ve spent is about £50 – the other stuff I consider ‘forward purchasing’ as I would have bought it eventually anyway. Although I did buy a dehydrator [a machine that dries food such as fruit so it will last for longer] – but it was only £12. I’m glad I feel prepared – it takes some of the anxiety out of Brexit.”