Disgruntled shoppers in Sweden launched a seven-day boycott of the Scandinavian nation’s biggest supermarkets amid a surge in prices. Following the largest increase in food prices for two years in February, thousands of people took part in a major protest, which began on Monday, March 17, as reported by The Guardian.

Some estimates suggest that since January 2022, feeding a family in the country over a year has skyrocketed as much as 30,000 kronor (£2,290), according to the outlet. Sweden’s official statistics agency also found that food saw a 3.9% increase in February compared to the same month a year earlier, which represents the highest annual rate in two years, as per AFP. Meanwhile, the independent food price watchdog site Matpriskollen found in January that prices in the country’s grocery stores jumped a whopping 19.1% over only two years. 

Dairy products are among the supermarket items that have seen the highest increases, with the price of butter shooting up 26% in a year, as well as rises for milk and cheese, the statistics agency said.

The protest initiative Bojkotta vecka 12 was organised in response to the price surge, and has become a major talking point in Swedish society as well as on social media. 

Campaigners blame the spiraling costs on an “oligopoly” of supermarkets and big producers.

They called on Swedes to avoid shopping in major supermarket chains including Lidl, Hemköp, Ica, Coop and Willys to make their disatisfaction known.

They claim that profits have been prioritised over customers, and have criticised what they perceive as the lack of competition between major chains.

According to AFP, the main chains represent around 90% of the country’s grocery store market.

In Skarholmen, a neighbourhood in the capital Stockholm, residents told the news agency they were struggling to make ends meet, with one pensioner saying: “Every day the prices increase, by maybe five kronor (£0.39) for a carton of milk.

“The other day, I was going to buy nuts and it was very shocking: 350 kronor (£27.09) a kilo.” 

Next, the protestors are planning to launch a three-week boycott of Sweden’s leading grocery retailer Ica, as well as dairy firm Arla, and are looking to target other businesses with boycotts in future.

Filippa Lind, who has become a recognisable figure in the movement through social media posts supporting the initiative, says she hopes it will lead to “political action” to bring prices down.

The office of the Minister for Energy, Business and Industry has been approached for comment via email.

Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson and Rural Affairs Minister Peter Kullgren met with ICA, Coop and Axfood (the parent company of Hemköp and Willys) last week, with the government saying they were there to “listen to the industry’s assessment of the situation and work together to lower prices for customers”.

Kullgren has since said stabilising prices is a high priority and has committed to taking that work “further”, as per The Guardian.

A new food strategy unveiled on Friday also aims to increase total food production, promote Swedish-produced goods, and make Sweden more resilient to crises, as per Sweden Herald.

Johanna Eurén, a spokesperson for Willys, said: “We have full understanding for customers and the worry and frustration that food prices have increased. We understand that people want to show their discontent.”

But she added: “We probably think the boycott is a bit misguided.”

Ica, Arla, Lidl Sweden, Hemköp, and Coop have all been approached for comment via email.