Consumer, food prices | Pensioners are affected:

– I think it's become very crazy. The price increases are absolutely crazy. Not least because fish has become very expensive. It's as expensive as beef, says Ingebjør Godskesen. newspaper online.

She is the district leader of the Pensioners' Party in Agder. You talk to a lot of seniors who are really struggling to make ends meet.

– Many people I know are buying up expired goods and selling them at a discount. More people are eating porridge like they did in the old days.

less food for the money

Food prices have risen by 18.8 percent in the past two years. In the same period, pensions increased by 11.5 percent. Retirees simply get less food for their money now than they did two years ago.

– Before, you could choose something cheaper, but now almost everything is expensive. Fish has absolutely crazy prices. Even frozen goods are expensive now, says Godskisen.

Fish was among the foods that recorded the largest increase, becoming 22 percent more expensive in two years. Price increases were strongest for fruits and vegetables. The increase here was 27.3 and 26.1 percent, respectively.

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“Cheaper” beer and spirits.

Therefore, healthy products are the ones that have increased the most.

Meanwhile, beer, wine and spirits prices saw a more moderate increase. Here, prices actually rose less than pensions.

So while retirees get less food for their money today, they can get more beer, wine and spirits instead.

One important reason why alcohol prices have not risen as strongly as food prices is taxes, says Department Director at Statistics Norway (SSB) Espen Christiansen.

Fees constitute a large and fixed portion of the retail price, which reduces the percentage of increase in prices that came as a result of the rise in the prices of grains, grapes, electricity, and transportation, he says.

New and higher price level

The increases in food prices we have seen over the past two years are rarely this strong. Unfortunately it is probably here to stay.

– What we see now is most likely a change in level. Food prices are establishing themselves at a new and higher level, says Christiansen at Statistics Norway, and points out:

It cannot be completely ruled out that food prices in general will decline to some extent, but it is likely that we will not see any return to their old level. He says it's unlikely.

He points to wars, conflicts and climate change as major reasons behind the sharp rise in food prices.

– If the war in Ukraine ends, it will be positive for food prices. But climate change will be there, and that could make food more expensive.

Take care of your health

Ingebjørg Godskesen of the Pensioners' Party fears that rising food prices will simply affect health.

– Many people with low pensions are forced to resort to unhealthy foods. It's not good at all. We know that healthy food prolongs life.

“We recommend eating healthy, but it's not easy with these prices,” she says.

Nettavisen price checks show this The prices of many food items have risen sharply in the past yearVesterålen fish balls have increased in price by 67 percent. Stabburet's classic mackerel in tomato has increased by 45 percent. Brands such as The first price saw a significant increase in prices. last year.

– I was in the store and saw salmon prices over 300 NOK. She says: It's like a steak.

-No one thinks about retirees

Thus, pensions have risen at a lower rate than food prices.

– For a minimum pensioner who receives 192,000 per year, it does not help much if the pension increases by a few percent. He won't make a lot of kroner. She says that someone who works a full-time job and earns £800,000 will get much more than that, even if the percentage increase in salary is the same.

The rich get richer, and the rest have to face many of the same expenses as everyone else. Food, electricity and taxes are the same for everyone, she says.

She is not satisfied with the way retirees are treated.

“I think that regardless of the government, nobody thinks about the retirees,” says Godskisen.

She hopes that retirees will come together in a political party. She believes that retirees will have more power to influence.

“It’s often said that we ‘get’ a pension. Like we’re very lucky. After all, this is money we’ve paid in over many years, and we’ll get it back,” says Godskisen. “But we’re at the mercy of what politicians think we should get.”