Grocery Price Test Reveals Critically important Jumps in Cod, Broccoli, and Nougatti
A comprehensive price test by Nettavisen, encompassing 124 items with 81 repeated from a test last October, reveals substantial price increases for several grocery staples, including cod, broccoli, and the popular chocolate spread, Nougatti. The test, described as “the biggest Nettavisen test of all time,” highlights varying responses from major grocery chains regarding the findings.
KiwiS communications manager, Nora Helgesen, stated that a price comparison of 81 items “says little about the general price trend,” emphasizing that their assortment includes “several thousand items.” She pointed to Statistics Norway’s broader price statistics as providing “a more accurate picture of price developments.”
Rema 1000’s purchasing director, Line aarnes, echoed this sentiment, noting that price tests represent “a snapshot” and consist of “a very limited selection of goods,” comprising less than three percent of their total range. Aarnes attributed recent food price increases to “known reasons such as climate change, increased transport costs, higher raw material prices and a weak Norwegian krone,” characterizing it as “a global phenomenon where Norway is not in a special class.”
However, Harald Kristiansen, Director of Communications at Extra (Coop), asserted that the survey demonstrates their success in “holding back price growth than our competitors.” He highlighted that Extra’s shopping basket experienced the lowest price increase and was ultimately the cheapest in the overall test. Kristiansen also noted the potential influence of campaigns on pricing and pointed out that Statistics Norway’s figures are current to September,not October.
