Norway food prices rose 4.4% from June to July 2025, prompting the government to promise further measures against the grocery sector. Minister for Trade and Industry (Næringsministeren) Cecilie Myrseth of the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet, Ap) met major retailers and suppliers in Oslo on 25 August to demand explanations and outline next steps.
July price spike intensifies scrutiny
The 4.4% month‑on‑month increase in food and non‑alcoholic beverages is unusual for July and follows a 5.9% rise compared with July 2024. Statistics Norway reported that higher prices for categories such as coffee, chocolate and fruit contributed to the jump. The uptick has renewed political pressure to understand why food prices are rising faster than overall inflation.
Government targets weak competition and opaque chains
After meeting COOP, NorgesGruppen, Reitan Retail and Oda—together with suppliers Nortura and Orkla—Myrseth said the government will keep “following this up” with additional measures.
The ministry’s immediate focus is on the wholesale link and on improving price transparency for consumers, including closer oversight of unit pricing and loyalty programmes. The government stresses that actions must be targeted and based on evidence from the market.
New enforcement tools for the Competition Authority
Oslo has already introduced a set of structural and regulatory steps to address limited competition in the grocery market, which is concentrated among a few large chains. Recent initiatives include:
- A new market investigation tool empowering the Norwegian Competition Authority (Konkurransetilsynet) to tackle serious competition problems even when no explicit law‑breaking is proven.
- Work to update the law on fair trading practices (god handelsskikk) to improve the efficiency and clarity of negotiations between retailers and suppliers, including the use of private labels and rebates.
- Assessments to curb exclusive lease agreements and improve access to retail premises for new entrants.
- Plans to require clearer functional and accounting separation between parts of vertically integrated groups to increase transparency and enable more effective supervision.
What to watch next
The ministry has signalled further actions following the late‑August meetings, with attention on wholesalers’ margins, supply‑chain transparency, and enforcement under the new market investigation regime. Additional consultations and hearings are expected in the coming weeks. For consumers, the key question is whether competition‑oriented remedies can slow food‑price growth into the autumn.
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