Defends high food prices: “We must accept the price level”

Food prices increased by 3.9 percent in February compared to the same month last year and many now think that the measure is raw. On social media, private individuals call for a boycott of the big grocery stores this week.

“Need to have this price”

But when a dairy farmer meets the food industry and politics in News Morning, consensus seems to prevail.

– I talk for basic foods, ie milk, and meat and cereal products. The Swedish model with strong animal welfare and hard rules and regulations means that we need to have this price for us to survive, says dairy farmer Stefan Gård.

Karin Brynell, CEO of Swedish Grocery, admits that prices have been shining.

– Food prices have been affected by a lot of things, they have gone up by almost 25 percent over the past two years. Of course, as a consumer, it is obvious that it has become very expensive.

Rural Minister Peter Kullgren agrees:

– We have had an extreme situation with inflation in Sweden and the world. One must have the greatest understanding that the recent high price increases are tough for those with small financial margins, not least families with children and pensioners, he says.

Gains provoke many

But both farmers, the grocery trade and politics seem to agree on the prevailing price situation to stay.

– If we are keen to keep stores throughout the country, and even small shops, then I think we have to accept that this is the price level we are now at, says Karin Brynell in News Morning.

Do you understand that it provokes consumers when the chains make big profits while the right prices?

– The average profit for the grocery trade is just over two percent, which is not a profit that can be considered high.

The ICA Group made a profit of SEK 1.4 billion last quarter. Is it reasonable?

– Even if you were to remove the entire profit for the grocery trade, it would hardly be noticed on prices in stores. It is not the profit that makes consumers feel that it has become expensive, says Karin Brynell.

The food industry has been called to a meeting on Thursday with Rural Minister Peter Kullgren (KD) and Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M).