New campaign for emergencies

How quickly times change. When the then army chief André Blattmann said in a newspaper interview ten years ago that he had thirty or forty six-packs of mineral water at home, as well as cans and wood for the fireplace, he was met with a lot of ridicule. The SP politician Fabian Molina etched: “Does Konserven-Blattmann actually also store garlic against the world domination of the vampires?” Today, even Molina would probably admit that his comment has aged poorly – after a pandemic, severe storms in Switzerland, a power shortage that was barely averted and a war in Europe. The seemingly unthinkable can happen at any time, and the Swiss Confederation does not remain unaffected.

On Tuesday, the Federal Office for National Economic Supply launched a new campaign to hold emergency supplies – a “simple and very effective measure in the event of a crisis” to ensure “supply independence” for a few days. It is, it is said, a contribution that everyone can make “to overcome challenging times”.

The wake-up call seems necessary because even in the most insurable country in the world, the willingness to provide short-term self-sufficiency has apparently decreased. The state-promoted emergency stockpile has a long tradition in Switzerland.

Child of the Cold War

After the experiences of shortages and sacrifices during two world wars, the Federal Council introduced compulsory stockpiles and appointed a delegate for economic war preparedness, a kind of emergency supplies general – gouverner, c’est prévoir! In the spring of 1950, the government addressed the people directly: “The establishment of central compulsory camps is sensibly supplemented by the small compulsory camp in every household.”

A little later the Korean War broke out. But the population had “not understood the signs of the times,” as the authorities criticized. Surveys showed that over a third had not created any stocks at all or had already used them up. Further appeals and an attempt with a standardized emergency supply package in the retail trade failed. The carelessness was so great that the federal government became disillusioned: “We don’t expect much from new calls.”

That changed in 1956 with the suppression of the Hungarian uprising by the Soviet Union. Fear of a communist attack triggered panic buying that temporarily paralyzed trading. That drove in. And the federal government now regularly launches large campaigns to create private emergency stocks. From then on, he was considered the “epitome of fatherly prudence”.

The basic range should be kept as simple as possible “to make the task easier for the housewives”, as it was said: including rice, sugar, fat, batteries, candles, matches, and of course “don’t forget the liquid!”. The official propaganda came in the form of posters and advertisements, as leaflets or brochures, with comic drawings, as features on the radio, in the cinemas, and later on television, even as cartoons.

Slogans such as “Regardless of time – emergency supplies” or, more rhythmically, “Smart advice – emergency supplies” were used for advertising. A chapter in the infamous booklet “Civil Defense,” which the federal government distributed to all households in 1969, was also devoted to the topic: “Don’t wait until the political situation gets worse again. Then it might be too late.” The font later became an export hit in Japan and also introduced the local population “to the previously unknown concept of emergency supplies,” as the magazine “Civil Protection” happily noted.

However, depending on the global situation, the Swiss population adhered to the official guidelines with varying levels of discipline. In 1978, a study concluded that although 70 percent of the population knew that an emergency stockpile needed to be built, only 10 percent actually did so in full. Even after the end of the Cold War, the Federal Council appealed to citizens to take personal responsibility. The dangers were now simply different than a communist invasion and a nuclear war between the superpowers.

The authorities have since warned of natural or industrial disasters, terrorism or a blackout as causes of a short-term uncertain supply situation. In 1997, the title of the official brochure was: “Household supplies – so that the worst case scenario does not become a trap.” In 2010, a “guide for emergency situations” was published, including a recipe for “cooking without electricity”.

And now, against the backdrop of the current crises, the federal government’s new campaign for emergency supplies follows.

Pet Buying Guide

Brochures, checklists and an instructional video can be found on the federal government’s website. Where previously rigid quantities of goods were propagated in the event of an emergency, the biggest innovation is now a calculator. This allows you to calculate basic equipment for your own household with just a few clicks: The number of adults, children and small children plays a central role, as does the period in which the household should be supplied independently – from three days to a maximum of two weeks. In keeping with the times, eating habits are also taken into account when putting together: “meat-consuming” or “vegetarian”? Intolerance to gluten, lactose or nuts? Pet owners are also supported with shopping in case of an emergency.

The Federal Office for National Economic Supply wants to “sensitize” the population to the topic primarily via social networks, as it announced upon request. The campaign, which has so far cost 60,000 francs, is supported by the retail trade: “As the last link in the value chain, it is the link between the goods and the population. Its function as a sales and distribution center is crucial for security of supply.”

This is of course the case. But it is also reminiscent of a continuity that goes back to the Cold War era: official propaganda early on aroused commercial desires among large distributors, who pushed for the widest possible range and large quantities of emergency stocks. And hoped for budgetary discipline, as Federal Councilor Gnägi’s wife once demonstrated in the “Schweizer Illustrierte”: “Yes, I have had the required emergency supply for years, I renew it every month or during campaigns.”