The initiative “Boycott Week 12” has been widely disseminated in social media. Consumers are now encouraged to boycott large grocery stores for a week, in protest of high food prices.
Student Filippa Lind is one of those who noticed the boycott at Tiktok.
– It is important for me to stand up for others who may not dare or have a platform to express their opinion. You always hear that there are tough times, and I think people are tired of trivializing how serious it actually is, she says.
“Think it’s going to work”
The idea is to avoid shopping from the big food giants for a week, and instead shop the week before.
Filippa Lind emphasizes that it does not mean that you should shop for the boycott – but instead manage on what you have in the pantry, or shop from smaller players.
The purpose of the boycott is to protest against food prices, and she believes that the initiative can have an effect in the long term.
– I don’t know if this particular boycott will make it happen, but if people are stubborn and find more ways to influence, I think it will work. If the companies notice that they are losing it, they will eventually fold, I think.
Mat influencer: “Frustration around food and money”
Mat influencer Jenny Frennberg has also noticed the initiative in her social media.
– Based on my experience, prices and costs are a constant part of everyone’s perceptions of food. It’s not as easy anymore, people get sad and provoked when they can’t afford it. There is a frustration around food and money, she says.
She does not want to take a stand in the boycott herself against the grocery stores, but says she is happy to lift the initiative.
– I think it is a great initiative, and is happy to lift it. It is something that affects everyone in all of Sweden, she says.
Swedish grocery: “Understands anxiety”
Karin Brynell, CEO of Swedish Grocery, an industry organization that represents several of the country’s largest grocery stores, tells TV4 News that they understand consumer concerns.
– We are also worried that prices have gone up so much. What is sad is that it is believed that it is due to the grocery store, but it is things in the outside world that make prices gone up, she says, mentioning the war in Ukraine, a weakened Swedish currency and climate change that affect agricultural products as some factors at increased food prices .
She emphasizes that Swedish grocery stores have an average profit margin of 2.5 percent, and at the same time believes that several traders go minus and see a declining profitability.
– To then signal with such a boycott that the grocery trade had only lowered its prices, we would have gotten rid of food price inflation, that is not true. Even if you were to sell to zero, you are not close to the prices you had two years ago, she says.