Set for record-breaking border trade this Easter

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

Cross-border shopping during Easter is set to be a record-breaking year. This worries the industry organization Virke Handel.

“We do not like to say that, but it seems that the border trade this year will be at an ‘all time high’,” says Director of Virke Handel, Harald Andersen to TV 2.

He believes, that it may be because Easter is late this year.

“Many may choose to be less on the mountain than they would otherwise be and we have seen that the Swedish store market are advertising intensively in Norwegian media and on posters in city areas,” he says.

2018 was a record year for the border trade and Andersen expects it to be a new record in 2019.

He believes the tax differences between Norway and Sweden have much of the blame, despite the fact that the sugar tax was changed in the revised national budget.

“It is still at a level that is very, very high, which means, among other things, that the sum of taxes on some type of beverages in Norway is higher than the retail price of similar beverages in Sweden,” says Andersen.

Also store manager Ole Jørgen Lind at the Nordbysenter in Strömstad in Sweden is expecting a record in Easter. He expects many millions in sales.

“It’s still too early to speculate for Easter, but it is so well arranged. Many got paid their salaries on Friday this coming week, Easter is late, it’s a good exchange rate, we have nice opening hours and not in the least a very good assortment, so we think it will be a record setting sales this year,” he says.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today