Interior Minister Faeser advises Germans to stock up on emergency supplies – but they are unaffordable for Hartz IV recipients

Created: 05/08/2022 04:51

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser recommends that Germans stock up on emergency supplies for ten days.

But Hartz IV recipients cannot afford groceries of this magnitude.

Berlin – Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) advises Germans to take precautions in the event of a crisis against the background of the Ukraine war.

"Think, for example, of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure," said the SPD politician to the

.

"If the power goes out for a longer period of time or daily life is restricted in some other way, then it definitely makes sense to have an emergency supply at home." In this context, Faeser referred to a list published by the Federal Office for Civil Protection.

Stock up on emergency supplies: These foods are on the list

This list is intended to help citizens to create an emergency supply for ten days and includes the following amounts of different foods per person:

• Water or drinks: 20 liters (2 liters per day)

• Cereals, pasta, bread, potatoes: 3.5 kilograms

• Vegetables, legumes: 4.0 kilograms

• Fruit, nuts: 2.5 kilograms

• Milk, dairy products: 2.6 kilograms

• Fish, meat: 1.5 kilograms

• Fats, oils: 0.36 kilograms

• Miscellaneous such as sweets or ready meals

Create an emergency supply: Not affordable for Hartz IV recipients

But you first have to be able to afford an emergency supply of this magnitude: families with low incomes or those receiving Hartz IV benefits in particular will face a major challenge - especially since a suitable supply of medicines should also be considered.

In view of the rising food prices, it is hardly affordable for them to create a complete emergency supply from the start.

portal

, the emergency supply proposed by the Federal Office currently costs around 356 euros for a family of four.

However, the planned amount for food and drinks with a standard rate for a single Hartz IV recipient is only 155.82 euros - not even half.

In addition, the running costs for food and drink must be covered.

So far there has been no help from the state to create an emergency supply;

the subsidy planned by the traffic light for Hartz IV recipients is primarily intended to cover the higher energy costs.

Already made provisions?

Share it with us.

Create emergency supplies: so far no help from the state for Hartz IV recipients

This means that Hartz IV recipients need staying power and have to save strictly if they want to create an emergency supply.

In such a case, the Federal Office for Civil Protection advises: “Store according to your individual possibilities.

It doesn’t have to be the ten-day supply right away, even a supply for three or four days is helpful in many situations.”

For example, you can specifically access special offers and fill up the stock piece by piece.

For Hartz IV recipients, however, the problem remains that they will certainly need months to create the recommended emergency stock.