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Albert Heijn finally says “doeg” to plastic bags for fruit and veg — this time for real

Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
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Albert Heijn finally says “doeg” to plastic bags for fruit and veg — this time for real

In March 2021, Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn made an ambitious promise to remove single-use plastic bags for fruits and vegetables from their stores by the end of the year.

At the end of April 2021, single-use plastic bags were removed from the first AH stores. But it is only now, one year later, that the supermarket chain is getting rid of single-use plastic bags in all of its stores.

As of next Monday, there will be no more free plastic bags for fruits and veggies, reports NU.nl. Customers will be able to read this information on the shelves and near the weighing scales.

Why the delay?

Albert Heijn wanted to offer its customers reusable, washable nylon bags as a replacement for single-use plastic ones.

However, these took longer to arrive than expected and their quality wasn’t up to the highest standard.

“Sometimes, customers couldn’t get the cardboard label off easily, causing the bag to break,” tells the Albert Heijn spokesperson NU.nl.

Fighting plastic pollution

Saying goodbye to single-use plastic bags should save about 7,000 kilograms of plastic per day. This equals about 350,000 plastic bags every day. 🤯

Other supermarkets have already been playing their part for some time now. LIDL stopped offering free plastic bags years ago and ALDI followed suit in 2021.

Jumbo customers can still choose free plastic bags, but they can also opt for free paper bags or a nylon bag that has to be purchased. Similarly, PLUS offers plastic or paper bags.

Are you happy to see single-use plastic bags gone from Albert Heijn? Tell us in the comments!

Joanna Ji found alive after going missing in Amsterdam

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
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Joanna Ji found alive after going missing in Amsterdam

Last seen on April 20, Joanna Ji (25) from New Zealand has been found alive, writes De Telegraaf.

While Dutch police have not yet confirmed the report, Joanna’s family has been informed of the extraordinary news.

Her sister Maria says that “We have not yet been able to speak to her ourselves because she is still with the Dutch police. We have no further details on how she is doing.”

However, the family is relieved that Joanna is alive and they thank Dutch and New Zealand authorities, as well as everyone else who has helped find her, writes Stuff.

Joanna’s family is still in New Zealand but plans on flying to the Netherlands to support her. The crowdfunding campaign that was set up to help the search and pay for Joanna’s mom and sister’s flights ended up wielding almost €15,000.

Her family says the campaign has ended now that Joanna is found and that they want to “donate to a charity that supports the families of missing persons.”

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25-year-old woman from New Zealand missing in Amsterdam

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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25-year-old woman from New Zealand missing in Amsterdam

Joanna Ji, 25, has been missing since April 20. She was last seen outside the Volkshotel on Wibaustraat in Amsterdam.

Update: Joanna was found alive on April 29. Her family has been informed and thanks everyone who helped in the search.

Joanna is originally from New Zealand and has been in Amsterdam since December, reports De Telegraaf.

Her bag, wallet and mobile phone have been found but the young woman remains missing without a trace.

What does Joanna Ji look like?

These are the visual markers you can use to identify Joanna:

  • Korean descent,
  • dark hair,
  • 1.61 metres,
  • might be wearing a pink beanie (but not for certain).

What can you do to help?

Joanna’s family is still in New Zealand and has set up a crowdfunding campaign so that her sister and mother can afford the flight and stay in Amsterdam to help with the search. The money will also go towards social media promotions and the printing of flyers.

The Amsterdam police unit has already started the search but, thus far, to no avail.

If you have seen Joanna or might know anything about her whereabouts, please contact the police under the general phone number: + 31 0900 – 8844.

Feature Image: Photo via family

Let it shine! Dry sunny days ahead for the Netherlands

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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Let it shine! Dry sunny days ahead for the Netherlands

The weather forecast for the upcoming days is filled with dry air and sunshine. By Dutch standards, this is practically perfect terasje weather. 🌤

There will be long periods of sun throughout Thursday. After all, it’s the day after King’s day and we all need a bit of sun to wake up! 😴

The rest of the week

On Friday, clouds will fill up the skies, but no need to despair, these will be followed by long periods of sun in the afternoon. If you’re tired from King’s day celebrations, there’s no better way to relax than by soaking in the sun. ☀️

Temperatures in areas near the North sea will level around 14 degrees while regions in the center and southern parts of the country will enjoy slightly warmer weather of 17 degrees, reports NU.

The wind will begin blowing from a Northern direction and shift over to the Northeast by the weekend. 💨

On Saturday and Sunday, the sun will be shining frequently and the air will generally remain dry. The weekend weather will be pleasant with mild weather and moderate winds! ✨

What about next week?

The Netherlands will have long periods of sun throughout the daytime and moving cloud trails across the country, according to Weerplaza.

The weather remain mostly dry with temperatures reaching between 13 and 17 degrees. And, if it happens to be rain — as we all know the Dutch weather to be very unpredictable — it will hopefully only be a light drizzle.

What’s on your agenda for this sunny and festive week? Tell us in the comments below!

Dutch TV anchor admits to inserting candlestick into unconscious woman on national TV

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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Dutch TV anchor admits to inserting candlestick into unconscious woman on national TV

Dutch TV personality Johan Derksen openly told a story from his youth about how he penetrated a young woman with a candlestick.

Yup. In his evening programme, Vandaag Inside, Derksen and his guests discussed the sexual assault accusations of another Dutch TV anchor, Johnny de Mol.

Apparently inspired by the ruthlessness of other men in power, Derksen felt comfortable enough to tell the following story in front of a live audience and on national TV.

“It’s a filthy story”

As reported by the NOS, this is a translation of what Johan Derksen said: “When I think back to it I am deeply ashamed. It’s a very filthy story, but these sorts of things happen.”

Do they though, Derksen?

He continued: “I was out with the goalie of Veendam and two young women. We went to the apartment and the two girls are so drunk they puke all over.”

Because mentioning that a woman is drunk always, somehow, makes sexual assault more digestible.

“I can still remember it well and I’m not proud of it… the young woman was lying unconscious on the couch and there stood such a huge candlestick. We stuffed it in there [read, her], and then we went away.”

What the actual f***.

Translation Tweet: “‘Everyone did things like that sometimes.’ Well, Johan, I broke something once. I got into a fight once. But if I left a drunk girl alone, I’d put a bucket next to her, give her a blanket, and leave. Dirty bastard.”

Amusement in the studio

The worst part? Applauding laughter by the other (male) guests and the audience. Because rape and sexual assault of unconscious women are hilarious apparently.

Derksen will not apologise

Derksen later claimed that there was no mention of penetration, reports the NOS. Ah. Okay. And “stuffing it in” means what, exactly?

Obviously, it just means that he placed the candlestick between the unconscious woman’s legs.

The candlestick was, allegedly, too big anyway to insert it into the woman’s body, so the accusations are nonsense, says Derksen.

And he will not apologise for misbehaviours that he committed when he was 24-years-old.

Translation Tweet: “How can a man feel so safe as to appease this story in public and in the process humiliate the woman (who will recognize herself) again? Strangely enough, that pisses me off the most.”

In the original story, Derksen clearly said “stuffing it in” underlined by a complimentary hand gesture.

What do you think about these sexual assault accusations against Johan Derksen? Tell us in the comments!

Feature Image: Jasper Joosten/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0

One big party: a round-up of King’s Day 2022

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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One big party: a round-up of King’s Day 2022

After two years of stunted celebrations, King’s Day was back in full swing yesterday — the biggest party in the country. 🎉

Now that the Netherlands scrapped all measures, Dutchies flocked to join flea markets, boat parties, and festivals all around the country, reports the NOS. 🏃🏻

Royal family duties

King Willem-Alexander celebrated his birthday in Maastricht with his family. The city welcomed them by song in the city centre. 🎶

The family Oranje planned to visit the city in 2020, but this was postponed twice during the pandemic.

RTL Nieuws described the royal family as “furiously shaking everyone’s hands”. It also seems like the King missed the social distancing memo (not that it’s mandatory to follow anymore), as he happily took selfies and danced with people in Maastricht. 🤳🏻

One man even managed to kiss Queen Maxima — no less than three times! 😙

A desire to party

Of course, Maastricht wasn’t the only festive city. People all over Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Groningen, The Hague, and Eindhoven, among others, celebrated with major music festivals and open concerts. 🎤

A spokesperson for the Kingsland Festival told the NOS that the atmosphere was there like it never left. “You noticed that everyone missed it.”

Authorities advised parties goers to avoid some parts of the big cities. For example, some 40,000 people attended the King’s Day party of radio station 538 in Breda.

They also urged people to avoid the city centre in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Utrecht.

Dutch treats and flea markets

There were long queues for orange tompouce in front of several bakeries across the country. One bakery opened at 5 AM and baked and sold 10,000 tompouces, all before 9 AM. 🧡👑

READ MORE | 3 things we don’t like about the aftermath of King’s Day festivities

The rest of the day went without major disruptions and disturbances. People enjoyed flea markets around the cities, and the NS reported some 200,000 passengers on the trains to Amsterdam. 🚅

How did you celebrate King’s Day this year? Share your experience with us in the comments!

A Dutch orange drink that’s actually ‘lekker’: introducing Orancello

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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A Dutch orange drink that’s actually ‘lekker’: introducing Orancello

Since King’s day is coming up tomorrow, we bet that you’re already getting into that ecstatic orangey vibe. So, with everything being dyed orange, what’s a better way to celebrate the King’s birthday than with a delicious Dutch Orancello? 🥃

Nope we’re not talking about limoncello. 🍋 The Dutch decided to one-up the Italians with their own tangy taste explosion. When life gives you lemons, swap them for some oranges instead! 🍊

Satisfying all your taste buds and your craving for a pop of colour, Orancello tastes much better than the classic ‘oranjebitter’ which is orange but also, you guessed it, bitter. 

Orancello from De Jongens van Oud West: a rich and colourful Dutch liquor 

That’s right, folks! This Orancello is made from fresh orange peels by three Burgundians from Brabant who came up with a delicious twist on your usual limoncello.  

With an alcohol percentage of 28% and peels from fresh oranges, De Jongens van Oud West offers a high-quality alternative to limoncello with its rich and artisanal Orancello. It’s a perfect refreshing drink full of freshness and fruitiness — So now you know what we’ll be drinking this King’s Night!

De Jongens van Oud West strongly believes in quality over quantity. After all, their motto is: “It’s better to buy a good bottle for €20 than two bottles of tainted liquor for €10. 😉 

With the power of Orancello, De Jongens van Oud West aim to spread their message of friendship, togetherness and love to everyone! 🧡 Wat leuk!

orancello-pouring-drink-into-shot-glass
Heerlijk! 😍 Image: De Jongens van Oud West/Supplied

Cocktail cravings: relish in the Orancello liquor with this easy recipe!

Don’t feel like drinking the Orancello straight up? No problem! The Orancello liquor is perfect for making delicious cocktails. How about a tasty mix of Orancello gin and ginger ale? 😋

If you want to enjoy King’s day with some mouth-watering orange cocktails, you need to add these ingredients to you boodschappen list: 

  • 50 ml Orancello
  • 25 ml gin
  • 200 ml ginger ale
  • Ice cubes 🧊
  • Orange peel
  • Mint 🌱

Instructions: Put some ice cubes in a glass. Add a splash of Orancello and gin. Top with some ginger ale and garnish with orange zest and a sprinkle of mint. And voilà! 🍹

Toast to friendship with some delicious Orancello 

If you want to get hold of your own bottle or just find more information about their Orancello speciality, then head on over to the website of De Jongens van Oud West.

Proost! 🥳

Will you be adding Orancello to your liquor cabinet? Tell us in the comments below!

Dutch “Tinder Swindler” faces five years in prison

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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Dutch “Tinder Swindler” faces five years in prison

Expensive cars, fancy meals, several women — the Public Prosecution Service described a 45-year-old Dutch man as “a tinder swindler of Gelderland.” And now he faces jail time.

The man led a luxurious life for years by taking advantage of women and using them for money. 💸

Fraud and forgery

The justice suspects him of committing several crimes, including money laundering of up to €1 million, fraud, and forgery, the NOS reports. He faces up to five and half years in prison.

The Public Prosecution Services even cited the Netflix documentary Tinder Swindler. The prosecution argued for similarities between the infamous Israeli man Simon Leviev, and the Dutch man.

The original Tinder Swindler used Tinder to emotionally scam women to financially support his lifestyle. His Dutch counterpart also received help from three women and a man among others in his schemes.

Fake companies and cash ins

The man had various companies that only existed on paper from 2006 to 2018. He paid salaries to the other suspects who were supposed office and account managers but did not perform any work.

He maintained their bank accounts and had them sign for several mortgages, luxury cars — and even a hotel in Germany. 👀

The Public Prosecution Service demands community service and a prison sentence for the man, and also suggests confiscating a car company he owns with “largely criminal assets.” The court will rule on the fraud case in June.

What do you think of this criminal case in the Netherlands! Tell us in the comments below. 💭

The Dutch housing market is healing: investors buying up fewer homes

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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The Dutch housing market is healing: investors buying up fewer homes

Here’s something we never thought we’d write — we have some good housing news! Last year, fewer homes were bought up by investors in the Netherlands. Instead, more houses were bought by first-time buyers. 🏠

Regular people? Buying more houses?? Yep. According to the land registry, 2021 saw investors take a slightly less sizeable chunk of Dutch real estate. This left room for more first-time buyers to have their chance.

We can thank the transfer tax

And who is the knight in shining armour that we can thank for this behaviour change? Sir transfer tax.

In the Netherlands, when buying a house you must pay a sizeable chunk of transfer tax when the deed of the home is passed to you. This is usually 2% of the value of the home for regular folks.

However, in 2021, the Dutch government introduced a higher transfer tax for those who were not going to live in the home that they bought — cough, cough — investors. This tax was raised to 8% of the value of the home.

A hopeful drop

One year in, it looks like it’s working. According to the NOS, in 2020, big investors in the Netherlands bought up a whopping 88,000 houses. However, in 2021, this dropped to 55,000 — still a scary number, but it’s something.

While it’s fun to shake our fists at the big investors, the largest competitors for first-time buyers are actually the smaller investors. However, this group also bought fewer homes last year, acquiring 6,500 houses.

More first-time buyers, fewer investors

In spite of skyrocketing house prices in the past year, it was actually a relatively successful year for first-time buyers in the Netherlands. With more investors shoved out of the way, hopeful homeowners were able to score 80,000 homes in 2021.

The hope is that this trend will continue into 2022, the NOS reports. As of January 1, a new purchase protection was implemented. Under this, municipalities are allowed to decide whether buyers must live in the purchased home — another deterrent for investors.

Want the latest Dutch news to come zooming through the internet to your inbox? Dat kan! Subscribe to DutchReview’s weekly roundup 📮

What’s the weather like on King’s Day 2022?

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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What’s the weather like on King’s Day 2022?

Whether or not we have good weather on King’s Day 2022 depends on where you are in the Netherlands. 📍

Unlike last year, when we couldn’t even celebrate King’s Day, the weather probably won’t be perfect this time around. 😔

Philippe Schambergen of Buienradar said it’s up to the cloud cover in the coming days, according to RTL Nieuws.

Grey, cloud-fulled skies

The eastern border of the Netherlands can expect some showers over the next two days — and the clouds won’t be moving away very quickly. 💨

According to Buienradar’s weather models, it is likely the northwest will be cloudy and grey. In the southeast, it may be warm and sunny, but “there is a lot of uncertainty.” 🤔

Schambergen expects the clouds to move a bit towards the southeast. “Locally that can really cause a lot of rain. A thunderstorm is also possible.” 🌩

Schambergen says temperatures also depend on clouds. “Under cloud cover, it will be a maximum of 12 degrees, but in places where the clouds stay away, it can be a nice 16 degrees.” 😎

A chilly (King’s) night

On Tuesday evening, the wind (of course) will push even more clouds over the country — and the good weather on King’s Day all depends on where the clouds spread.

The night after King’s Day will be exceptionally cold for this time of year, with a maximum of two to three degrees Celsius and potentially frozen ground across the country. 🥶

If you’re planning on going out for King’s Night, it’s going to be an exceptionally fresh evening. ❄️

18 degrees for the King

De koning himself Willem-Alexander will visit Maastricht for King’s Day 2022, where temperatures may reach as high as 18 degrees Celsius.

READ MORE | What’s happening in the Netherlands on King’s Day 2022?

At the moment, the weather is really all over the place in the Netherlands, so make sure to bring the beer, umbrella, sunglasses, raincoat and shorts!

How are you spending King’s Day in the Netherlands this year? Share your plans with us in the comments!

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