Sharp decline in cross-border trade – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio

Cross-border trade continues to fall. This is shown by new figures from Statistics Norway (SSB). Norwegians left NOK 1.9 billion on day trips abroad during January, February and March this year. That is 9.1 percent less than in the same period last year. – Immediately after the travel restrictions were lifted last year, cross-border trade, which was almost non-existent during the pandemic, picked up speed quite quickly. So far, however, the level has not risen to what was common before the pandemic, says senior adviser Kristin Aasestad at Statistics Norway. – Compared to the first quarter of 2019, the amount of trade we left over the border in the same period this year was a whopping 52 per cent lower. Not recognized in the numbers Part of the reason for the development is the price rise in Sweden. Among other things, it has meant that some Swedes have started coming to Norway to shop: In addition, the Norwegian krone has weakened a lot compared to the Swedish one. Statistics Norway also believes that increased fuel prices can contribute to fewer people crossing the border to shop. Ståle Løvheim, center manager at Nordby shopping center in Svinesund, is surprised by the figures. – This is new to me, and I don’t recognize those numbers, says Løvheim to news. – Here at us, we have had an increase in the first quarter of this year compared to last year. I don’t know exactly how much as of now, but it is probably between 15 and 20 percent. Fewer trips According to Statistics Norway, Norwegians made more than twice as many trips across the border to shop in the first quarter of last year compared to this year. At the same time, we left a marginally higher sum per trip this year. – Even though the shopping trips are far fewer, we therefore spend more money when we first go on cross-border shopping. It may be related to the sharp increase in the price of groceries in Sweden, and not necessarily to us putting more in the shopping basket, says Kristin Aasestad in Statistics Norway.



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