Maltese homes among EU’s top food and medicinal stockpilers

A recent Eurobarometer survey reveals that 53% of Maltese residents have enough food provisions stored to last more than seven days in the event of transportation disruptions in their area. This figure significantly exceeds the EU average, where only 20% of citizens have similar stockpiles.

The survey highlights that 56% of the Maltese are most concerned about the risks posed by extreme weather, followed closely by worries about disruptions in critical infrastructure (48%).

In contrast, only 15% of Maltese respondents said they feel exposed to international geopolitical conflicts, compared to 22% across the EU.

Additionally, 52% of Maltese individuals maintain an emergency supply of food and drinks, markedly higher than the EU average of 29%. And 62% of Maltese households say they keep a home pharmacy for emergencies, compared to just 36% in the EU.

The survey also found that 74% of Maltese residents have easily accessible flashlights or candles, compared to 47% of EU citizens.

But only 5% of Maltese – compared to 8% of all EU citizens – have prepared a grab-bag, in case they need to evacuate rapidly in an emergency.

Austria (58%), Malta (52%), and Finland (51%) were the only countries where more than half of respondents report keeping an emergency stock of food and drinks. Conversely, Poland (11%), Denmark (14%), and Portugal (14%) show the lowest levels of such preparedness.

In nine EU Member States, at least half of the respondents indicate they have a home pharmacy for emergencies, with the highest rates reported in Finland (63%), Malta (62%), and Austria (56%).

The survey also registers a higher  level of trust (75%) in public authorities and emergency services in Malta than in the EU as a whole (70%).