Dutch supermarkets prepare for war

Dutch supermarkets and certain stores deemed “essential” are going to prepare for major crisis situations with “emergency scripts”. Such crises include large power failures, huge floodings, or wars.

Financial problems

These retailers need to remain operational in prolonged and extreme emergency situations, and will therefore create so-called emergency scripts together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security, Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reports.

Vakcentrum, the sectoral organisation of independent retailers, points to three kinds of crisis: a large-scale power failure, a climate disaster such as flooding, or war. During the pandemic, retailers have shown that they can react quickly, but they cannot solve protracted situations on their own: “Many shops are facing financial problems and can hardly invest in things like emergency generators”, spokeswoman Patricia Hoogstraaten explained.

Vakcentrum’s initiative comes in the wake of a call by NATO chief Mark Rutte for Europeans to adopt a “war mentality”, as he thinks the threat of war is increasing. Other countries, like Sweden, have also increased their vigilance and preparation. In Belgium, on the other hand, the National Crisis Centre only advises the population to put together an emergency kit at home.