A reduction in Sweden's food VAT has triggered a massive surge in cross-border shopping from Norway, with billions of Norwegian kronor flowing across the border. The Nordby Supermarket outside Strömstad is at the epicenter of this shopping rush, experiencing what store manager Patrik Zäll describes as "a huge increase" in Norwegian customers.
According to reports from multiple Swedish newspapers, the supermarket now receives a full truckload of Pepsi Max every day to meet demand. "We sell about fifty pallets per day now," Zäll stated. The demand has been so intense that the store has been forced to implement purchase limits on how many eight-packs of the soft drink each household can buy.
a huge increase
The shopping phenomenon extends beyond beverages, with Norwegian families reportedly crossing the border regularly to stock up on groceries while also filling their tanks with cheaper Swedish diesel. Border retailers anticipate the shopping rush will continue as Norwegian consumers take advantage of Sweden's lower food prices following the VAT reduction.
We sell about fifty pallets per day now