The government will increase taxes on alcohol and tobacco. This is revealed in the proposal for the national budget, which was presented on Friday. This is how the taxes will increase if the red-green government gets its way: Alcohol: 3.8 per cent Cigarettes and cigars: 4 per cent Snuff: 4.3 per cent They have assumed that the general price increase in society will be 3.8 per cent next year. In total, the government expects the increase to generate NOK 24.3 billion in revenue. This is an increase of 8 per cent compared to the budget for 2023. This will amount to the increase in practice: Gorm Kallestad / NTB Alkohol A pint of beer, sides or soft drinks will receive around 40 øre in increased taxes. Kate Barth-Nilsen Cigarettes A 20-pack of cigarettes will get around NOK 2 and 40 øre in increased taxes. Terje Bendiksby SnusA box of snus with a content of 16.6 grams will receive around 70 øre in increased taxes. NHO: Affects the entire value chain – The Swedish finance minister should be very happy with this budget, because it increases activity on the Swedish side of the border. That’s what CEO of NHO Mat og Drikke Petter Haas Brubakk says. He believes that increased fees will have major consequences in Norway. – Those who work in the value chain get less secure jobs, those who own the companies lose value creation and Norwegian society loses tax revenue, because now we buy in Sweden instead. NHO Mat og Drikke is concerned about the government’s proposed tax increases, explains managing director Petter Haas Brubakk. Photo: Lars Trygve Grønstad / news – Jackpot for us NHO believes that the government should take targeted action and look at each individual fee to reduce them to a Swedish level. – It is important to remember that even if the lures drive the shoppers across the border, you buy everything you need once you are there, says Brubakk. While the government wants to increase taxes, the Swedes are going in the opposite direction. In Sweden, they have plans to reduce the tax on snuff by 20 per cent next year. Increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco in Norway will lead to increased grocery trade at Svinesund. Store manager Patrik Zäll is convinced of that. – This is a jackpot for us. All taxes in Norway affect us in a positive way, says Zäll, who is the store manager at Nordby Supermarket. Nordby supermarket’s store manager Patrik Zäll Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news – Half the price Vidar Braaten from Fredrikstad also believes that increased taxes in Norway will lead to increased trade on the Swedish side of Svinesund. He makes the trip to Sweden to buy groceries once a week. Braaten estimates that he saves 30 percent on trips across the border. – And there is even more if you visit Systembolaget. Then the beer is half the price. Vidar Braaten’s shopping cart from Fredrikstad is loaded with gratin, “innmari good” turkey, roast ham and soft drinks. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news Must cover expenses – A high tax level on consumer goods can lead to increased cross-border trade, tax-free trade, smuggling and home burning of alcohol, the government writes in its budget documents. At the same time that the proposed fees will provide the state with income, they must also help pay for the costs that the use of drugs such as alcohol and tobacco impose on society. – Consumption of certain goods can entail social and health costs for society that are not reflected in market prices, writes the government.
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Will increase taxes on alcohol and tobacco – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
