The cross-border trade booms again

Charlottensbergs Shoppingcenter border tradeCharlottensbergs Shoppingcenter.Sweden.Photo: Norway Today Media

The border trade at Svinesund grew faster than domestic trade, such that the NHO believes that in 2017, the cross-border trade overtook inland trade.

 

It is another record year for cross-border trade at Svinesund. Forecasts show that last year’s record of almost NOK 4.1 billion will be topped this year, said Ståle Løvheim, of Nordby Shopping in Strømstad to NRK news.

Estimating growth in Nordby in August at approximately 4%, he said, ’We show revenues for 2017 of around 4.3 billion. There are some uncertainties, but the figure will be enough to break the record this year too.’

Among the uncertainties is the weight of Christmas trade, and weather conditions. Bad weather usually takes more visitors to the Shopping Centre, a few kilometres south of Svinesundsbrua.

According to Statistics Norway ((SSB), retail stores sales at home sank by 0.6% between July and August. The level was somewhat higher last August, at 2.8%. Growth was lower than for the cross- border trade at Svinesund.

Regional Director, Roald Gulbrandsen of NHO Østfold believes cross-border trade is the explanation for domestic trade sinking.

‘The most important reason we saw this summer is that we have a significant increase in people going to Sweden to shop. The cross-border trade has reached new levels now. The second reason is that people are more price-conscious because of uncertainty in the labour market’, he said.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today