As the wallets become thinner, the Swedes become more restrictive with what ends up in the food box. Last year, sales of organic food declined sharply – and so far this year, the trend has continued, albeit at a slightly lower rate. During the first and second quarters of this year, the sales value for organic food decreased by 5.9 and 1.8 percent, respectively, compared to the same periods the year before. At the same time, changes are visible in the type of organic food Swedes put in the basket. Dairy products decrease the most, while organic eggs increase. Fewer new cars The money is now spent on things other than new cars. During the period January to October this year, a total of 78,941 new passenger cars were registered for private individuals, statistics from the industry organization Mobility Sweden show. This is a decrease of approximately 25 percent compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, the Swedes don’t seem to save on travel – despite the more expensive times. In October, a total of 2.9 million travelers flew via Swedavia’s ten airports, an increase of six percent compared to October last year. Reduced savings At the same time, Swedish households reduced their savings in bank accounts during the third quarter. On the other hand, savings in shares and mutual funds increased, figures from Statistics Sweden (SCB) show. Bank deposits during the quarter amounted to minus two billion kroner, which is 17 billion less than the same period last year. But new savings in liquid assets, which also includes shares and funds, landed at 33 billion, while loans increased by eleven billion kroner, the latter an unusually low level.
t4-general