The government and the Sweden Democrats proposed earlier this fall that food VAT should be temporarily reduced from 12 to 6 percent from April to December next year. A budget initiative for the election year that costs 16 billion kronor.
The Food Price Commission that has now been appointed will begin work immediately, according to the Minister of Finance. The assignment is led by the Swedish Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Economic Research. The Swedish Competition Authority and Statistics Sweden also participate.
These will monitor food prices “day by day” and be in dialogue with, among others, food companies, the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the Food Price Survey.
Above all, it is about ensuring that prices are not surreptitiously increased before April 1, 2026, says Svantesson.
Now the food giants and stores will have their eyes on them from these authorities, and the authorities will in turn have a dialogue with the parties concerned.
A first interim report will be made before the VAT reduction, on March 1. According to Svantesson, the commission's work will continue "as long as necessary", but the final report will be made in 2028.
The government will allocate five million kronor next year and the same amount in 2027 to the Swedish Consumer Agency to carry out the assignment, according to the Minister of Finance.
That cost is well worth the money. The whole purpose for us to do this is to make things easier for people.
