Response to interpellation 2024/25:679 on the establishment of Swedish preparedness stores
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the establishment of Swedish preparedness stores to reduce vulnerability and increase the availability of food during crisis or war 1. KD considers functioning food stores across the country to be a priority issue for the government 1. KD argues that it is challenging to ensure electricity, IT, personnel, and goods flows 1. KD plans to invest 365 million kronor during 2025 on civil defense within food supply and drinking water 1. KD wants to carry out a pilot project with Livsmedelsverket to ensure the electricity supply 1. KD also wants to carry out work similar to Finland's to map the need for stores 1.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Landsbygdsministern Peter Kullgren (KD)
Madam Speaker! Hanna Westerén has asked me how I intend to reduce the vulnerability and increase the accessibility of Swedish preparedness stores much more widely than to "some selected places in the country." Hanna Westerén has further asked me what lessons Sweden can learn from the high pace of the expansion of and accessibility to Finnish preparedness stores.
Access to food is fundamental for the population's survival, and functioning grocery stores are a prerequisite for all parts of Sweden to be able to function in the event of a crisis, high alert, and ultimately war. Ensuring robust grocery stores across the entire country is therefore a priority issue for the government.
This is, however, not entirely simple. For shops to function, electricity, IT, payment systems, staff, goods, water and sewage, waste management, secure premises, as well as access to critical supplies are needed. In addition to this, goods flows and transports must also function. Consumers must also be able to reach the shops.
During 2025, the government is investing 365 million kronor in outward-facing measures within civil defense for the preparedness sector's food supply and drinking water. According to the government's proposal in the budget bill for 2025, these investments are expected to increase in the coming years.
Of this year's funds, Livsmedelsverket has initially been allocated 50 million kronor to carry out a pilot project regarding robust grocery stores. The pilot project will prioritize electricity supply. The idea is that we should reach the goal as soon as possible of ensuring the electricity supply for stores at the locations selected for the pilot study.
As Hanna Westerén points out, Finland has also recently initiated work with emergency stores. Finland's initial pilot study focused on mapping the national minimum level of the number of stores needed to meet the population's needs. We need to do similar work in Sweden to understand our needs and challenges and so that resources can be prioritized in the best way moving forward.
We still have several challenges remaining. Finland has similar challenges as Sweden, and I know that the Finnish and Swedish authorities have a dialogue. My hope is that we will be able to share each other's knowledge and solutions so that both countries can move forward as soon as possible in ensuring robust food supplies across the entire country.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.