Dutch supermarket chains such as Albert Heijn, Aldi prepare for long power outages

Major supermarket chains, including Jumbo, Albert Heijn and Aldi, are seeking to ensure that Dutch citizens won’t suddenly find themselves without food and drinks during a large-scale power outage, FD reports.

Power outages currently last an average of one and a half hours, said Ruud Limmen, chair of Albert Heijn’s Incident Management Team. In the case of a major disaster, however, electricity can be gone for a far longer time.

Supermarkets are typically forced to close during a major power failure. This means that cash registers, as well as freezers and refrigerators, don't work. Card payments also typically seize to function.

Supermarkets, therefore, want to pick one store in every region and specially prepare so it can stay open even when the power goes out. The plans stem from growing concerns about international threats, such as those from Russia. Flooding, a large-scale cyberattack, or war could also leave the country with no electricity for days.