Families should have enough cash for three days in case of emergency, the Dutch central bank warned on Tuesday.
People are advised to keep 70 euros per adult and 30 euros per child in a safe place in paper currency in case electronic payment systems do not work.
The bank cited the threat of cyberattacks – a growing risk given the increasingly tense geopolitical situation – as one of the reasons why consumers should remain prepared.
In April, a power outage in Spain and Portugal caused serious, though ultimately short-lived, problems with payment systems.
The set-aside money should be enough to cover “minimum necessary expenses for a period of three days, such as water, food, medicine, and transportation.“
The Dutch central bank also had several tips for merchants: they should have alternative payment systems, such as scanned QR codes, in case POS terminals do not work.
In March, the European Commission published a preparedness plan that recommends citizens stock up on food for three days to ensure supplies in case of emergencies such as war or natural disasters, N1 writes.
