Rising food prices in Norway force families to seek more affordable options

Manish Budathoki, a father who frequently shops at Coop Obs in Alnabru, highlights that price is a significant factor when shopping, especially for families with young children. This comes as costs have continued to rise over the last year and a half, forcing shoppers to look for more affordable options. Budathoki is often seen visiting multiple stores in search of the best deals.

Food prices have been on the rise in recent years. Despite the growth of food prices in the EU stalling at under 1%, the increase continues in Norway. According to the Statistics Central Bureau, as of June, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages was 4.9% higher than the previous year.

The price changes for various items include: dry goods, such as rice, flour, and pasta, have increased by 10.9%, 3.1%, and 0.7% respectively; baked goods, such as bread and biscuits, have seen increases of 6% and 10.5% respectively; various meats, including sausages and pork, have risen by 8.6% and 5.3%; various fish, including fresh cod and frozen cod, have seen increases of 5.6% and 4.9% respectively; dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, have risen by 5.2% and 5.1% respectively; while the cost of butter and oils have surged by 11.5% and 26.7% respectively. In addition, the cost of eggs has risen by 11.8%.

These price increases have been attributed to a stronger wage settlement in Norway compared to the rest of Europe, according to food researcher Ivar Pettersen. As a result, grocery chains are earning more.

Prices for fresh vegetables are also steep, with onions now costing over 40 NOK per kilogram, double last year’s price. This has led to Budathoki and his friends buying in bulk and splitting the cost.

Meanwhile, the price of new potatoes is well over 30 NOK per kilogram, and a bunch of carrots is around 35 NOK. A family dinner with vegetables and potatoes can quickly cost hundreds of kroner.

Dairy prices are also high, with a pack of butter costing at least 60 NOK, and finding milk for less than 20 NOK is challenging. Budathoki notes that milk and dairy products have become significantly more expensive.

Following a successful shopping trip, Budathoki’s receipt showed a total of 500 NOK for 14 items. In the past, he would have paid around 300-350 NOK for the same amount of groceries.

Pettersen predicts that the growth in food prices will slow to 4% in the fall, due to agriculture settlements. However, he concludes that this is still quite high.