The Norwegian government threatens the owners of retail chains with a finger: take more responsibility for prices

Trade Minister Cecylie Myrseth for Monday called the owners of the largest retail chains in the country. The reason is the July increase in food prices. Almost 97 percent belong to three players. this market.

The resort would like Sellers took part of the responsibility for the price level in stores. In July, the prices of food products in Norway increased by 4.4 percent. This is twice as much as the central bank forecasted for this category of goods throughout 2025.

At the meeting, the head of the Ministry of Trade informed the representatives Norgesgruppen, Rema 1000 and Coopthat he expects them to take part of their responsibility and “make sure that everyone who goes to the store for food every day, got the best price.”

I am aware that there are no quick solutions, but before the holidays we informed the main networks about our legislative proposals. A situation where power is concentrated in the hands of three large players can be unfavorable for consumers, “Myrseth said after Monday.

At the same time, Norgesgruppen, Rema 1000 and Coop, which in practice decide about the shape of the retail market in the country, were, according to the Nordea bank, the best -paid companies on the Oslo stock exchange in the first half of 2025.

“On average, for 1000 crowns of invested capital in 6 months you could earn 200 crowns,” Robert Nass, director of the Norwegian bank investment, told Nettavisen magazine on Monday.

Last week, the Norwegian equivalent of UOKiK punished the three of the greatest retailers in the history of the country for illegal price practices. It has been proven that the networks coordinated the prices of their products using IT systems. Knowing that the competition would follow them, they preferred to raise, not reduce the prices of the goods offered. In total, Coop, Rema 1000 and Norgesgruppen should pay 4.9 billion crowns (almost 1.8 billion zlotys), but after the final administrative decision their management boards appealed to the court.

From Oslo Mieszko Czarnecki (PAP)

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