The total turnover for food companies in 2022 rose by six percent.
But both that and a little more were eaten up by inflation.
- If we exclude inflation, there will instead be a reduced turnover of approximately 10 percent.
In a low-margin industry, it means a lot, says Karin Brynell.
In addition to purchase prices for food, grocery stores, like everyone else, have increased costs for transport and electricity.
It mostly affects the smaller stores that have the lowest margins.
- We see that there are many small rural shops that are really worried right now, says Karin Brynell.
Double setback
Exactly how bad it is for the small shops is hard to say.
But now they risk a further setback.
In addition to less revenue, they also risk losing more customers to larger stores when prices increase.
Do you have any forecast on how far away it is before stores need to close?
- I don't know if we are there yet.
Everyone hopes that the signs we are now seeing that inflation will slow towards the spring will help.
But it's a tough situation now.
Losing customers to the supermarket five miles away
One of all traders affected is Ida Collin in Norråker in the northernmost parts of Jämtland County.
Together with her husband, she has run Norråkers Handel since 2005. With a customer base of around 180 households, the margins are already small.
- It is the first time since we opened that we have decreased in sales.
Since December, it has been five percent lower every month without including inflation, she says.
Despite the fact that the nearest supermarket is five miles away, they notice that more customers are going there to shop.
But without the store, the village would lose more than just a grocery store, says Ida Collin.
- We are a coffee shop, post office agent, pharmacy agent, gambling agent, number information service and on-call when someone crashes their car.
Fortunately, we have a little buffer and we are extremely grateful for the operating support.
So we manage for a while but not for any length of time.