Max Wallenberg, press manager at Arla, whose Bregott brand has almost become a symbol of rampant food prices, cannot see that they have raised their prices too much.

"Last year was dramatic for our owners the dairy farmers. It was first the pandemic, then the war and climate effects. Feed, fertilizers and energy became more expensive, he says.

Gone under

Had Arla not raised its prices, Swedish dairy farmers would have perished, he explains.

"We are a farmers' cooperative, all the money we earn goes back to the farmers, or back to the business as investments.

When farmers' costs increase, they have to charge it in the form of price increases. Otherwise, Swedish dairy farmers risk having to close down, according to Max Wallenberg.

Coffee is also a commodity that has increased sharply in price in recent times. Anders Thorén at Löfbergs, says that his company is not among the coffee producers that have raised the most. But coffee prices have increased, he notes.

"There are climate effects, green coffee on the coffee exchange has risen due to extreme weather in Brazil. Then there's the exchange rate and all the different costs that have risen," he says.

Causes outside the industry

However, Daniel Emilsson, press officer at the Swedish Food Federation, cannot see that his members have raised their prices to the top.

- No, certainly not. Our members have had a record-breaking loss of profitability for four consecutive quarters.

He explains that the competition among producers is so tough that no one dares to raise more than necessary. Then customers turn their backs on them, and buy low-cost goods instead.

"If the grocery trade blames us, it's deeply unfortunate. We are all affected by this, the entire food chain," says Daniel Emilsson.

According to him, it is almost impossible for producers not to charge at least part of the cost increases. The fact that prices are rising so much in Sweden is due to several factors, not least due to the weak Swedish krona, he explains.

"It is factors outside the food industry that are behind it," says Daniel Emilsson.