Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices continue to rise to historically high levels, increasing in September by 16.1 percent year-on-year.
Prices go up significantly in grocery stores. In September, the increase was 16.1 percent on an annual basis, according to data from Statistics Sweden.
The trade organization Swedish Grocery Retailing Index shows that sales in the grocery retail sector in September increased by 8.7 percent compared to the same month last year, reports TT News Agency (link to Expressen).
More expensive food and higher sales – that should mean a jingle in the coffers for the grocery stores? Not at all – price-adjusted for consumer inflation, sales have instead declined by 7.4 percent, and inflation at the producer level is also hitting stores hard.
“Inflation continues to be at a record high and food prices continue to rise. The underlying inflation of raw materials, fuel and electricity is a driving factor in the rising food prices. In addition, direct costs at the store level also affect, it simply becomes more expensive to run a store,” says Karin BrynellCEO of Svensk Dagligvaruhandel, in a press release.
“The high food prices are due to a number of factors. The high energy prices are one explanation. The energy crisis affects farmers, transport companies and the packaging industry, which means that many have to raise the price because their costs have increased,” said SEB’s private finance Americo Fernandez earlier in October.
Read also: Expect continued expensive food in 2023 [Dagens PS]