Netto has chosen to focus on prepping in its weekly special offer catalogue this week, urging its customers to prepare for various crisis situations. On page 23 of the catalogue, customers are met with the headline “The safe side. Prepping for every situation”, providing suggestions for essential items to be well-equipped in case of unforeseen events such as cyberattacks, natural disasters, war, or pandemics. Martin Hasgard Olesen, Commercial Director at Netto, told TV 2 that the initiative is not about instilling fear among consumers but rather about assisting them in being better prepared. “We see this as a help for people who are considering preparing a little better for unforeseen challenges or events,” he said to the media.
The catalogue includes a checklist of suggested prepping items such as candles, battery-operated radio, hand sanitizer, medication, canned food, and cash. This list is intended to help customers get a grip on the basic necessities in a crisis situation. While Denmark is not immediately threatened by a military threat, there is a growing interest among Danes in preparing for possible crisis scenarios. This can be seen, for example, in the increased sales of outdoor equipment like freeze-dried food and the growing activity in various prepping Facebook groups. One of the most popular groups, “Preppers in Denmark”, now counts 15,600 members, many of whom joined during the corona pandemic and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Therefore, Netto’s initiative can be seen as a response to this trend and a way to support their customers in becoming better prepared for crisis situations.