Oranges, orange juice, butter and other dairy products are examples of goods that have plummeted in price this year compared to last year, according to this year’s price survey from the national organization of pensioners, PRO. The VAT reduction on food, which came into effect on April 1 this year and halved food VAT from 12% to 6%, is described as crucial.
Clear decrease
The prices in PRO’s grocery bag correspond to or exceed the VAT reduction and have decreased on average by just over 6 percent over six months, according to the survey.
“We have never seen such a clear price reduction in our surveys before,” says Ola Nilsson, consumer affairs expert at PRO.
All retail chains have been keen to ensure that the VAT reduction is visible and reaches consumers, he believes. But he also fears that the lower prices risk becoming a temporary reprieve. The current global situation with higher oil and electricity prices could catch up and push prices up in the future.
Local differences
The price of a food bag in PRO’s survey varies greatly across the country. In Jämtland County, the average bag costs over 67 kronor more than in Skåne.
Ola Nilsson believes this may be due to a narrower selection of stores and supermarkets in Jämtland than in Skåne, and thus less competition.
If a discount store establishes itself in a location, other stores nearby tend to adapt to its prices.
“But in Jämtland there are very few larger discount stores. It still seems difficult for them to establish themselves there,” says Ola Nilsson.
Competition for land to build on is high and municipalities can in turn put a damper on grocery stores that have lower prices, a recent study from the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning shows.
“Municipalities often deny establishments citing that there are already enough grocery stores,” the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning writes in its report, adding that this can “inhibit competition and drive up food prices.”
Facts: Lowest average price in Skåne
PRO’s price survey was conducted on April 13, 2026, and a total of 736 stores were visited.
The average price for PRO’s grocery bag with 42 different items this year was SEK 1,116.03 based on the average price of all items.
In the large stores, the average price of a grocery bag was SEK 1,052.72 and in the small stores, SEK 1,139.81.
Lidl, which in PRO’s survey is categorized as small stores, had the lowest average price in that category, at 1,025.52 kronor for PRO’s grocery bag.
Among the stores that PRO categorizes as larger, Maxi Ica Supermarket had the lowest average price, at 1,022.25 SEK, followed by Willys at 1,033.45 SEK.
The cheapest grocery bag in the survey was SEK 988.50, the most expensive SEK 1,273.04.
The grocery bag is cheapest in Skåne, where it costs an average of 1,086.10 kronor, while in Jämtland County it is the most expensive, at an average of 1,153.24 kronor.
The survey covers 736 stores throughout the country and was conducted on April 13, 2026.
Source: PRO
