Sanquin blood bank changes snack policy to prevent theft

Sanquin, the organization responsible for the blood supply in the Netherlands, has tightened its snack policy at certain donation locations. Donors can no longer help themselves to free treats like 'roze koeken' (pink cookies), speculaas, or stroopwafels from open trays. Instead, they must request snacks from volunteers.

The change follows reports of both donors and non-donors taking excessive amounts of food. One volunteer in Delft estimated that approximately 1,000 euros worth of snacks were being taken home every month. While the policy has been implemented in locations like Delft, Sanquin clarified that individual sites retain the autonomy to decide how to manage snacks, meaning some locations in Utrecht and The Hague still leave treats on the tables.