Wait to buy Christmas sweets for as long as possible, and don’t be tempted to make impulse purchases, warns Ron Nicolaisen, who is behind Gjerrigknark.com.
He points out that Christmas sweets arrive in grocery stores these days, two full months before Christmas.
He believes consumers should be aware that prices are higher now than they were closer to Christmas.
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-We don’t have any need for Christmas snacks now
Nettavisen has documented for several years that the price war on Christmas goods actually begins at the end of November.
Competition among grocery chains to offer affordable Christmas goods to customers has contributed to a collapse in prices in the run-up to the holidays.
Ribs, pork chops, gingerbread, Christmas porridge, chocolate bars, clementines and Christmas marzipan are the cheapest for the Christmas celebration itself.
For example, the price of gingerbread was reduced from NOK 19.90 to NOK 9.90 last year. The price of Freia and Nidar chocolate bars has been reduced to NOK 19.90 each.
-If you act now, there is a good chance your impulse control will disappear at home as well. Most likely, you’ve been eating Christmas sweets long before Advent begins, Nicolaisen says.
The blogger believes there is good reason to be excited about the fact that Christmas goods will already be on store shelves in October.
– People have no real need for Christmas snacks really. This is further evidence of grocery chains deceiving gullible consumers.
– It takes advantage of people’s desire to enjoy themselves
– Chains know we’re searching for food, and they know how to exploit that. Because Christmas is synonymous with rest, it doesn’t matter that there are two months left until the holiday, he says.
Nicolaisen believes he’s not just talking about himself when he’s upset right now.
-I think I’m not just talking about myself when I’m upset about this. He says: I’m tired of Christmas sweets in October.
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Nicolaysen points out that he appreciates the Christmas holidays, with good food, some gifts and Christmas candy. But then I focused on Advent and the days of Christmas.
– It may seem as if others are already celebrating Christmas as of October – at least according to the Christmas displays in stores.
Freya’s owner, Mondelez & Nedar, said Christmas merchandise could be collected from factories as early as September, but grocery stores themselves decide when the merchandise will be sold in stores. This has been the case for decades.
– Chains will try to convince us that we really need Christmas presents now, but I don’t think Christmas presents are on people’s shopping lists. It’s about impulse buying, and it doesn’t make your life better, says Nicolaisen.
– Grocery chains probably wouldn’t have done this if people hadn’t gone to the glue stick and bought Christmas marzipan, Christmas foam, Christmas soda, chocolate elves etc., already now.
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Coop: – Customers think it’s good to get Christmas goods in October
Naturally, grocery chains disagree with the criticism. Nettavisen asked what benefit it would be to the chains to actually start selling Christmas merchandise now, how sales have been so far and why they believe consumers need Christmas merchandise several months before Christmas.
They have to start now in order to meet the huge quantities that will be placed on store shelves, explains Harald Christiansen, communications manager at Coop.
– Even if Gjerrigknarken is tired of Christmas merchandise, there are actually many customers who think this is a relief, and want to try a little Christmas merchandise. They should be allowed to do that, he told Netavicin.
According to Christiansen, sales are slow. However, Christmas soft drinks, gingerbread and Christmas goodies are already sold in Coop stores.
– He says a lot of people like to treat themselves to some goodies every now and then, and many Christmas products are very similar to others, but with slightly different packaging.
Kiwi: – Many people now drink their first Christmas soda
He tells Kiwi that the customer is their boss. They are the ones who order the goods very early, according to the low price chain.
Kiwi communications director Nora Mael Helgesen says this year’s Christmas merchandise hasn’t arrived any earlier than usual.
– There are many first-time soda drinkers at Christmas now who have been looking forward to it, including the undersigned, says Helgesen in Kiwi.
Last year’s sales figures showed Christmas soft drink sales accounted for nearly 20 per cent of Kiwi soft drink sales. Helgesen believes this is a clear sign that customers appreciate Christmas goods several months before Christmas.
Pia Milby, sales and marketing director at Rema 1000, says her customers are delighted to have their Christmas goods arrive early.
– Our role is to ensure that they are available in stores when people want them, and that the goods are of high quality and at the cheapest prices. For example, we learn year after year that Christmas soft drinks are already very popular from day one on sale.
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