Drinks
- Water for drinking, cooking and hygiene
- Fruit and vegetable juice, soft drinks
- Tea, coffee
- Milk or a plant milk
Emergency supplies
Switzerland's emergency supplies list
Switzerland's Federal Office for National Economic Supply (BWL) recommends a stock for about one week, with at least 9 litres of water per person: one six-pack of 1.5-litre bottles. Below are the federal list and the amounts for your household, with a link to the BWL page.
Read6 min read
Updated11 Nov 2026
TopicHour zero
Official sources5
What the federal office says
The BWL explains the week like this: „Man geht heute davon aus, dass ein Versorgungsunterbruch zwar nicht Monate, aber doch mehrere Tage andauern könnte. Deshalb empfiehlt die Wirtschaftliche Landesversorgung, einen Vorrat für rund eine Woche zu halten.“ In English: a break in supply is now expected to last several days, though not months, so National Economic Supply recommends keeping a stock for about one week.
The stock (Notvorrat in German) is meant to bridge a short shortage until business and the authorities restore supply.
Checked on 11 Nov 2026 at bwl.admin.ch and in the BWL brochure „Kluger Rat Notvorrat“ (Wise advice: emergency stock).
Water: at least 9 litres per person
One six-pack of 1.5-litre bottles each. Easy to carry, and it keeps for several months.
| People | Water, at least | Six-packs of 1.5 L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 L | 1 |
| 2 | 18 L | 2 |
| 3 | 27 L | 3 |
| 4 | 36 L | 4 |
| 5 | 45 L | 5 |
9 litres per person (BWL), times the number of people. The BWL says this covers drinking and cooking for three days. Water for washing and flushing is not included: our water calculator uses the US rule of 3.8 litres a day, hygiene included.
The 7-day list
This is the BWL brochure's "recommended personal emergency stock for 7 days".
Ready to eat
- Tinned vegetables and fruit, such as sweetcorn, tomatoes, pineapple
- Pulses, such as chickpeas, beans in tomato sauce
- Salami, sardines or a vegetarian option
- Hard cheese, cooking oil, spices, sauces like pesto or mustard
- Chocolate, sugar, crisps, nuts
To cook
- Pasta, rice, muesli
- Packet soups, stock
- Ready meals, such as rösti
Medical
- Face masks, hand sanitiser
- Your own medicines, painkillers
- Wound disinfectant, plasters, compresses, bandages
- Thermometer
Hygiene
- Soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, razor
- Panty liners, tampons, condoms
- Toilet paper, tissues
And also
- Torch, spare batteries, power bank
- Candles, matches
- Gas stove, grill or fondue burner with fuel
- Battery radio
- Cash in small notes and coins
- Bin bags, can opener
What else the BWL adds
From its website and brochure.
- 50 face masks per person, says the BWL website.
- Cash in small notes and coins, enough to pay for a week's shopping and a tank of fuel. In a power cut, cash machines and card payments can fail.
- A car: keep the tank at least half full, or the battery charged.
- A baby: formula, baby food, vitamins, nappies.
- A pet: food, water, litter, medicines.
- The freezer counts. Food in it is still fine after a power cut, but once thawed, do not refreeze it; eat it soon.
How to build it
The BWL sets no weights per food. Your stock follows what your household eats anyway.
01Buy what you already eat
- Put the stock together from your usual meals.
- Allow for intolerances and tastes.
- Include food you can eat cold, in case the power is off and nothing heats without it.
Source: BWL, Kluger Rat Notvorrat
02Eat it and replace it
- Work the stock into everyday cooking: use it, then buy more.
- Watch the best-before dates.
Source: BWL, Kluger Rat Notvorrat
03Store it right
- Keep food and medicines cool, dry and out of the light.
Source: BWL, Kluger Rat Notvorrat
The calculator and the PDF
The BWL's Notvorrats-Rechner asks for adults and teens over 12, children from 2 to 12, toddlers, pets, the number of days (7 by default) and each person's eating habits.
The printable list is the brochure as a PDF, four pages in German. For your first three days, tick through our 72-hour checklist.
Emergency numbers in Switzerland
Free and answered around the clock. Write them down with your stock.
| Police | 117 |
|---|---|
| Fire | 118 |
| Ambulance | 144 |
Questions people ask
How much emergency stock per person in Switzerland?
Food for about one week and at least 9 litres of water per person. The BWL calculator works out amounts per food for your household.
How much water for a family of 4?
At least 36 litres, four six-packs of 1.5-litre bottles. The BWL says that covers drinking and cooking for three days, without washing water.
Who issues the Swiss recommendation?
The Federal Office for National Economic Supply (BWL), on bwl.admin.ch and in its brochure.
Does frozen food count?
Yes, says the BWL. Anything that thaws in a power cut should be eaten soon and not refrozen.
How much cash should I keep?
Enough for a week's shopping and a tank of fuel, in small notes and coins.
Read next
Sources
- BWL: Notvorrat About one week. Checked 11 Nov 2026.
- BWL: Kluger Rat Notvorrat Water, masks, cash, freezer, radio.
- BWL: brochure Kluger Rat Notvorrat (PDF) The 7-day list.
- BWL: Notvorrats-Rechner
- Canton of Basel-Stadt: Notruf 117, 118, 144