The rising demand for nuclear bunkers

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Spain is formulating a new national security plan that will tell citizens what to do in case of war. Meanwhile, “wealthy clients” across the country are buying under-home bunkers, with one company saying a “middle-class family” took out a loan to have one installed.

In 2023, countries with nuclear weapons spent a combined $91.4 billion (£72.7 billion) on their arsenal, and “global security leaders are warning nuclear threats are growing”. In response, more people are investing in at-home shelters, hoping to dodge theoretical warfare.

The US market for bomb and fallout shelters is expected to hit $175 million (£139.3 million) by 2030, reported AP, and other countries are also seeing a spike in demand. In Spain, “fears of the growing threats from war and a rise in catastrophic natural disasters” like floods have bolstered the market, said the i news site.

The business of bunkers

When Russia attacked Ukraine with a hypersonic missile in November, Ron Hubbard’s phone started to ring nonstop.

Some experts say they are unnecessary and unhelpful against blasts or nuclear fallout, and that they “create a false perception that a nuclear war is survivable”, but “buyers say bunkers offer a sense of security”, said AP. That’s partially why manufacturers are seeing a spike in sales.

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The bunker interest isn’t limited to anxious individuals. Governments are taking note of threats, too, with officials taking stock of nuclear shelter networks.

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