Norwegians shopped for as much as SEK 11 billion in Sweden last year, and a recent price test carried out by Fredriksstad Blad (FB) shows that there are still significant amounts to be saved on cross-border shopping, especially when shopping in bulk.
FB checked the prices of 105 items at Maximat at Nordby Centre in Sweden and compared them with the prices at Rema 1000 in Norway, which came out top in VG’s food exchange in February. The test reveals that the total sum for the items was significantly lower in Sweden, indicating that Norwegians can save a lot of money by shopping for the right items across the border.
Store manager at Maximat, Ole Jørgen Lind, tells FB that the year has started well, with a sales increase of around 10 per cent compared to last year, indicating that cross-border shopping is still popular among Norwegians.
The test shows that there is a lot to save on meat and fish products by shopping in Sweden. You can potentially save over SEK 300 on these items alone in the shopping basket tested by FB.
Bread and biscuit products are also generally cheaper in Sweden, with the exception of some Norwegian speciality products. Beverages, dairy products (with the exception of butter) and eggs are also cheaper at Maximat.
Rema 1000, on the other hand, comes out better on certain products such as Nugatti, Prima yellow cheese and Toro waffle mix. Rema 1000 store manager Line Aarnes believes the chain is competitive in several product groups, including fruit and vegetables.
According to an article from NHH (Norwegian School of Economics), cross-border trade from Norway to Sweden increased by 7.1 per cent in 2023, and the trend looks set to continue in 2025. This is largely due to lower food prices in Sweden, especially for meat and dairy products. In addition, Sweden often has lower VAT on certain goods.
FB’s price test did not take into account offer prices or bonus programmes, and there may be local variations in prices. Nevertheless, the test gives a good indication that there are still significant savings to be made on groceries by shopping in Sweden, especially for those who shop in bulk.