After many people, including NATO chief Mark Rutte, called for citizens to prepare themselves for crisis situations such as wars or cyber attacks, an increasing number of residents in the Netherlands have started stocking up on emergency supplies.

The Netherlands needs to prepare for crisis situations

Earlier this month, the Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans urged Dutch residents to prepare themselves for crisis situations such as flooding, another pandemic or a long-term failure of “vital processes”. Not long after, in his first major speech as NATO boss, Mark Rutte said that we are not ready for war and need to prepare for the possibility in three to five years.

Dutch banks followed suit, recommending that clients ensure that they always have cash at home in case payment systems are disrupted due to mounting geopolitical tensions and cyber attacks. The government also acknowledges this, as part of the programme of the Schoof cabinet is to make the Netherlands more resilient.

All of these warnings could be seen as well-advised as several situations in the recent past proved that the country is not prepared for many emergency scenarios. One notable example is when E.coli was found in the drinking water in North Limburg and bottled water was quickly sold out in supermarkets. Dutch hospitals, airports and public transport were also all affected during a worldwide IT outage earlier this year. 

Increase in orders for emergency supplies in the Netherlands

A local prep shop - a store that sells items for use in an emergency - in Utrecht has seen a higher demand for emergency supplies in recent years. "We now have 10 times more internet orders than normal," the owner of Prepshop Luuk van de Ruit told NOS. 

After the Dutch central bank (DNB) advised people to keep cash on hand for emergencies, the ATM operator Geldmaat saw a similar pattern with an increase in cash withdrawals on the same day as the warning was issued. 

However, a large number of people in the Netherlands do not prepare. According to research done in 50 countries by Ipsos I&O, the Netherlands has very low levels of preparation for crises. "Three-quarters of the Dutch say: I want to enjoy today and we'll see what happens tomorrow," said researcher Peter Kanne.

What supplies to have at home in the Netherlands for emergencies

The Dutch government recognises this problem and has launched a national campaign that informs citizens on how to prepare for threats called Denk vooruit. One of the suggestions includes having an emergency kit with 3 litres of water per person per day, non-perishable foods, and a battery-powered radio among other things.

"A radio is also important, and a power bank, a whistle and, for example, emergency blankets," said Nicole van Batenburg, who is involved in crisis management at the Red Cross.

While the Dutch banking organisation does not give a detailed recommendation of how much cash to have at home, the suggestion for households in Sweden is enough money for a week’s shopping at around 167 euros for a two-person household. Financial management organisation Nibud suggests having enough cash for a couple of days of shopping and petrol, while the Dutch Association of Insurers warns that you can only cover between 250 and 500 euros in cash with insurance.