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Coronan hits trade hard in western Sweden
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STRÖMSTAD. Empty parking spaces and no Norwegians in sight. In Strömstad, sales have been practically stagnant since the border was closed.
Many expected Christmas to be a salvation, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
– We hardly have any business left, says Göran Lundgren, operations manager at the Grensemat grocery store.
Commercial grocery sales in Sweden’s border municipalities decreased by 52 percent during the second quarter compared to the same period last year. This is shown in figures from Statistics Sweden, Statistics Sweden. It is possible to compare with the municipalities that are not on the border, where sales have decreased by 5.4 percent.
Strömstad, in the north of Bohuslän, is the most affected border municipality. Sales decreased by 82 percent during the second quarter.
“I ended up a bit in shock”
Nordby Shoppingcenter is only a few kilometers from the Norwegian border. During December it is usually difficult to find a place to park here, but when Aftonbladet gets there, there are only about 50 cars in the parking lot.
Photo: ANDERS DEROS
When Aftonbladet arrives at Nordby Shoppingcenter, there are only about 50 cars parked outside.
Photo: ANDERS DEROS
Göran Lundgren, director of operations for the Grensemat store.
Inside the center, the stores are empty. Some have even been forced to close due to the pandemic. At Nordby Supermarket, only one cash register is open out of a total of 17.
Before the border closing in March, Norwegians stockpiled toilet paper and the lines were long, but now the situation is completely different.
– We have almost no trade, basically everything is quiet. So we ended up in a somewhat shocked situation and we never thought it would be like this. He’s feeling completely ill, says Göran Lundgren, operations manager at the Grensemat grocery store, which owns two Maximat and Nordby Supermarket stores.
Border foods usually invoice about two hundred million crowns in December. Since the beginning of the crown bud, the loss of sales has been 97 percent.
Photo: ANDERS DEROS
At Nordby Supermarket, one of seventeen boxes Maj-Louise Eliasson works on is open.
Photo: ANDERS DEROS
Grensemat’s sales drop has been 97 percent since the start of the pandemic.
Norwegians important to trade
Göran Lundgren says that many Norwegians often cross the border and shop, especially before Christmas.
– There is always a lot to do. It is our second largest month in terms of sales, after July.
Criticizes the fact that cross-border trade does not receive any additional support.
– The border regions have generated billions for the state over the years, so I thought you would be seen more.
Sales have been so bad that Grensemat has been forced to notify staff twice. The force has decreased by just over 400 people at the company’s three grocery stores.
Photo: ANDERS DEROS
Inside the center, the stores are empty and some have been forced to close.
But Göran Lundgren says they are far from alone in a difficult time right now.
– Of course, this affects the whole society, which is usually full of pulse and energy. It is a completely different place than it was before. That is why we long for the border with Norway to be reopened.
How do you see the future?
“We believe and hope that it will change before the summer and that in the meantime we can persevere and hope that we will get some specific support efforts from the state,” says Göran Lundgren.
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