Norway retailers accused of raising prices ahead of Black Friday

Recent investigations into Norwegian retail trends reveal that many stores are increasing prices on popular items shortly before major sales events like Black Friday. Data from Prisjakt indicates that approximately 29 percent of over 2.6 million products monitored saw price increases during October, with 12 percent of products rising by at least ten percent.

These price hikes are particularly notable in the electronics sector, affecting items such as gaming consoles, tablets, and robot vacuum cleaners. Experts from the Consumer Council and price comparison services warn that these tactics can create an illusion of significant savings by inflating the "original" price used to calculate discounts.

Consumer analyst Isabella Ahmadi and Consumer Council specialist Thomas Iversen suggest that shoppers should verify price histories rather than relying on advertised discounts. The Consumer Council reports that 80 percent of consumers lack trust in the authenticity of sale prices due to these perceived artificial price inflations.