Because of the extremely high food prices in Norway, people living close to the Swedish border, about 30 percent of the total population, go on day trips to Sweden to buy groceries. A Norwegian family can save up to 40 percent in total due to a strong Norwegian krone in combination with low Swedish food prices.

The Swedish grocery stores offer a larger variety of food products than what you find in Norwegian stores. In addition to groceries, Norwegians buy tobacco, alcohol and candy which are about 30 – 40 percent lower in price.

The small Swedish border town Tocksfors (1 hour and 15 minutes drive from Oslo), is completely dependent upon Norwegian shoppers to survive.

Statistics Norway writes in a recently published report on Cross Border Trade, 3rd quarter 2011:

Further increase in cross border trade: Norwegians spent 10.8 billion Norwegian kroner on cross border trade and went on 6.6 million trips in the last four quarters. This is an increase of 3.5 percent in retail spending and 1.5 percent in the number of trips compared with the previous four-quarter period. The numbers are uncertain and might be higher.

Having in mind that only 5 million people live in Norway, this means that Norwegians in average go for at least one trip a year.

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Text by: Thor Lanesskog, ThorNews

Photos: MaxiMat, Eurocash

Categories: Quirky

Tags: Quirky