– We try to keep our food budget below NOK 6,000.
That’s what May Rita Brosvik Kirkjeoy of Bergen says. She has been a single parent of four children for many years.
– I know almost all the prices in my head, so I notice that prices have increased a lot recently.
She knows how she works.
– I have to think about food prices all the time. We try to buy the best food for the funds we have.
This means the family buys a lot of the chain’s own brands.
– Kiwi has a lot of first rate. Sometimes I find some good, cheaper alternatives to Rema 1000, he says.
Want savings tips? Read on for top single mom tips.
High inflation – looking for cheap goods
The Consumer Price Index rose 6.5 percent from August last year to August this year. Statistics Norway shows statistics. The general increase in food prices was 10.3 percent.
The government presented the proposal for the national budget on Thursday morning. Key figures from the proposal show that the consumer price index in Norway is estimated at 2.8 percent in 2023.
According to a new analysis by consumer research firm SIFO, there already seem to be several Had to do it differently Actions to meet requirements.
Growth: SIFO is seeing growth in the low-cost segment, says food analyst Alexander Schjoll. Photo: Magnus Nøkland / TV 2
According to the SIFO analysis, four out of ten households have taken steps to tighten food purchasing.
– The most common strategy is to cut costs by buying cheaper products and shopping where prices are lower, says Alexander Schjoll, researcher of SIFO at OsloMet.
For example, the food analyst says it’s easier to control how much you spend on food than interest and electricity costs.
– We see people moving to cheaper alternatives in a given segment, be it chains’ own brands. At the same time, we see that people generally buy cheaper food, for example chops instead of entrecôte.
While the company is seeing growth in the low-price segment, they are also noticing that expensive store chains like Mini and Mega have started to cut prices with their campaigns.
– People are looking for good deals, says Shjol.
Big increase
Ahead of TV 2, the grocery industry confirms increased demand for cheaper products.
At the cheapest Coop chain Extra, they note a 30 percent increase in the cheapest range.
Big growth: Coop customers are moving to cheaper varieties, says Daniel Kyr Pedersen, chain director at Xtra. Photo: Gorm Roseth / TV2
– We see that customers are attracted to the Xtra series, and they use our campaigns, Daniel Khair Pedersen, chain director of Xtra, tells TV 2.
Among others, they have seen significant growth in sales of extra products such as apple juice, nape bread, salmon fillet and potato crisps over the past four weeks compared to other brands.
Overall at Coop, they see a seven percent increase in their cheapest option.
– Sales of other own brands are approximately the same. Pedersen says turnover on products with fixed volume discounts, such as Coop coffee and Coop Pizza, increases by 6-7 percent compared to the rest of the chain.
Act less on impulse
The Norwegian group includes stores such as Kiwi, Meny, Joker and Spar. They also note that customers are price conscious.
– We see that customers are interested in good offers, says Kine Søyland, Communications Manager.
Depending on price: Norgesgruppen’s communications manager Kine Søyland says consumers are becoming more aware of using offers. Photo: Per Hagen / TV2
According to Søyland, customers are opting for more affordable products and larger packages.
– For example, you use rapeseed or sunflower oil instead of olive oil, which is a bit more expensive. We see people buying bigger packages with things like eggs and grated cheese. In addition, he tells TV 2 that people are more concerned with the price per kilo now than before.
Soyland points out that people act less on impulse and less at once.
– You buy less of things that have gone up in price significantly.
Norgesgruppen says there is an increase in sales of own brands, including first-price products that are cheaper alternatives to them.
Rema 1000 also confirms this trend.
– We see a lot of interest in cheaper products, including our own brands, which tells us that the customer cares about lower prices during the day, says REMA 1000, Line Aarnes’ Category and Purchasing Director.
More interest: Both Coop Xtra and Kiwi have increased sales of cheaper brands. Photo: Kristin Grønning / TV 2
Stores have seen an increase in sales of affordable brands due to price hikes. Images of Kiwi Barcode and Coop Extra Pilestretted Park Photo: Christine Groening / TV2
Stores have seen an increase in sales of affordable brands due to price hikes. Images of Kiwi Barcode and Coop Extra Pilestretted Park Photo: Christine Groening / TV2
Stores have seen an increase in sales of affordable brands due to price hikes. Images of Kiwi Barcode and Coop Extra Pilestretted Park Photo: Christine Groening / TV2
Stores have seen an increase in sales of affordable brands due to price hikes. Images of Kiwi Barcode and Coop Extra Pilestretted Park Photo: Christine Groening / TV2
Great advice from a single mom
Brosvik Kyrkjeøy in Bergen is convinced that there are many who face harsh winters.
– Some have had wrong advice before. It would be cruel to them.
Mother of four: To spend as little as possible on food, May Rita Broswick Kirkjoy buys cheap chains from you. Additionally, she cooks a lot of food at home as cheaply as possible. Photo: Private
So, he comes up with some good tips that have helped the family through tough times.
– It is important to do bulk trade once a month with long lasting items. Then I set aside money for weekly shopping to buy vegetables, dairy products and meat, she says.
Brosvik Kirkgeo also says that some foods are very cheap at so-called independent greengrocers.
Even if you can’t, the single mom concludes, it’s important to think about weekend fun.
– Treat yourself a little extra, it’s important not to feel left out.
This is how food items have increased in the past year
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