– We have spent NOK 2,500 each on Christmas presents, say Ambre Skåltveit (23) and Celin Aydin (24). They have been Christmas shopping at Oslo City. Both estimate that they will spend twice as much in total on purchases for Christmas this year. This is approximately the average per person spent on Christmas shopping in the normal year 2019, NOK 5,810, according to Den norske bank. Virke estimates that each consumer will leave NOK 12,170 during this year’s Christmas shopping. Strong November flattens out in December After an autumn with high electricity prices, increased living costs and inflation, there is great excitement attached to the turnover during this year’s Christmas shopping. Head of industry policy at Virke, Jarle Hammerstad, says that the shopping centers increased their turnover by 10.7 percentage points during Black Week in November this year, compared to the normal year 2019. Head of industry policy at Virke, Jarle Hammerstad, believes that some stores will notice reduced turnover. Photo: Lokman Ghorbani / news At the same time, Black Friday has seen a significant decline. This may indicate that more people are spreading their trade over the whole week, Virke believes. – The biggest difference between November last year and this year is that we shop more online, says Hammerstad. He bases this on figures from a survey Kvarud analysis has carried out on behalf of Virke and Bank Axept. Virke explains the strong Christmas shopping to date with the savings of pensioners in particular, good finances for consumers in general, and the fact that people put off their Christmas shopping until November. – We expect trade to level off in December. There will be a decrease compared to last year, says Hammerstad. Virke still expects an upswing from the normal year 2019. – Low income hits the hardest for the younger people between 18-30 years old, they keep the most during the Christmas shopping, says Jarle Hammerstad. Partner at Varde Hartmark, Reidar Mueller. Photo: Varde Hartmark Increase in second-hand trade – Singles and younger newly established people are at risk, among other things due to a high level of debt and greatly reduced purchasing power. They are really under extra pressure, explains partner at Varde Hartmark, Reidar Mueller. – Students do not have the finances to act as they wish. There is a strong increase in second-hand trade, he says. This trend has been reinforced during and now after the pandemic. Younger people are more concerned with sustainability, the environment, footprints etc. than most people, Mueller believes. Christmas shopping is underway at Oslo City, but there is relatively good space in the escalator and otherwise, compared to normal years. Photo: Lokman Ghorbani / news Oslo City is one of Norway’s largest shopping centres. Photo: news / news The Oslo City shopping center is one of Norway’s largest. They are one of ten shopping centers owned by the Scandinavian company Steen og Strøm. Photo: Anita Stellander / news Elderly people with strong finances are more careful and shop less often, but more expensively, he believes. This is partly because things have become more expensive, but is also related to age. Many young people do not have as much freedom of choice, they have to give up dealing because they cannot afford it, Mueller believes. Holding back consumption Inside Oslo City, Amir Hashani (32) will buy Christmas presents. Hashani thinks we will spend less on gifts this year. He himself wants to spend approximately NOK 5,000 on Christmas this year. – Half of my Christmas shopping is online, says Hashani. He feels pressure because of advertising. – The advertisement asks you to buy various things. But there is also pressure from friends and family, who expect expensive and nice things for Christmas. That’s how it has become. The world is only getting worse and worse, he says. Amir Hashani is shopping for electronics and kitchen items for Christmas. Photo: Anita Stellander / news Christmas presents Back to Celin Aydin (24) and Amre Skåltveit (23) who have finished today’s Christmas shopping. – I will not spend more on Christmas presents. I save and spend more than enough money on Christmas shopping already, says Skåltveit. She also experiences some pressure to spend money. That it is important not to give a gift that is lower in value than the one you get from friends and acquaintances. – I try to get over the value of gifts I get from them, she confides. She buys some of the Christmas presents online. Ambre Skåltveit has no costs associated with the Christmas celebration. She celebrates with her family and gets everything served. Photo: Anita Stellander / news – It is a bit impractical if you want to exchange, because you have to send it back. She still thinks it works well. Celin Aydin says that she has bought goods from which she makes Christmas presents. In addition, she gives away used items, such as self-help books and clothes. It is a bit of consideration for the environment, she explains. – There is definitely some pressure in relation to giving “just as good” gifts. You would like to give something equivalent to what the other person has spent on the gift. Personally, I don’t care too much about what I get, as long as the person I give it to is happy with the gift, says Aydin. Celin Aydin from Vålerenga makes some Christmas presents herself. Photo: Anita Stellander / news She limits how much she spends on Christmas shopping in case electricity becomes more expensive, but would increase consumption if she could. Whether price growth levels off in the future. – I would definitely give bigger gifts to the little ones in the family then, she states. Ambre Skåltveit adds that she also buys used Christmas presents. Both are looking forward to Christmas. – Although not quite like when you were a child, concludes Celin Aydin. Skåltveit and Aydin’s shopping bags are full of Christmas presents. Photo: Anita Stellander / news
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Young people experience pressure to spend money during Christmas shopping – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
