Registered alcohol consumption in Norway has stabilised or even declined slightly after a steady increase in the period from the early 1990s to 2008. The major shift in Norwegian consumption patterns over the last decades is the strong increase in wine consumption. Studies indicate that Norwegians still tend to binge drink, but have also adopted more continental habits with more frequent consumption. By 2015, 82 per cent of the population reported drinking at least once in the last year. 36percentsaid they had been drinking each week.
Men still drink considerably more than women, but long term trends indicate that women’s consumption has increased significantly. We also see increasing consumption among older age groups as new cohorts take their drinking habits into old age.
Interestingly, there seems to be a decrease in youth alcohol consumption, despite relatively high consumption levels among adults. This decrease is found in a number of studies and is also seen in other countries.
A national study published in February 2016showed that while most Norwegian seventh graders have never tried alcohol, there is a "worrisome" amount who have.Among Norwegian 12-year-olds, every tenth boy reports drinking at least one serving of alcohol within the past month and threepercentsay that they have been drunk.On the positive side, the survey concluded that most Norwegian seventh-graders have never tried alcohol – 69percentof boys and 83percentof girls. But ninepercentof the boys and fourpercentof the girls said that within the previous month they had had at least one glass of beer, wine or spirits.
In addition, 3.1percentof boys and 0.8percentof girls said they had been drunk which the study defined as having at least five alcoholic drinks in one sitting. (Source:The Local)
The recent decline comes after a long period of increase and is still relatively highina historical perspective. Moreover, some of the reduction in consumption may be offset by increasing taxfree sales, particularly in the period after the increase in travellers’ allowance in 2014. Taxfree sales figures are unfortunately not included in the official consumption statistics. Turnover at Norwegian airports (duty-free) was 0.59litersof pure alcohol per capita in 2014, down to 0.52litersby 2015.
Unregistered consumption
SIRUS does give an estimate for the unregistered consumption. In 2012, alcohol consumption was 6.21 litres of pure alcohol per inhabitant over 15 years of age. In addition, there is unregistered consumption from cross-border trade in Sweden and duty-free sales at Norwegian airports, which is estimated to be 1.6 litres (SIRUS, Drug statistics). Unregistered consumption also includes other «tourist import», alcohol consumption while abroad, home brewing of beer, wine and spirits, and smuggling. Source:FHI.no
Studies indicate that support for restrictive alcohol policies such as the state monopoly, taxation, age limits, closing times and advertising ban has increased in recent years. People’s beliefs in the effectiveness of the policies and the connection between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm seem to influence their attitudes towards policies.
The following figure shows that for the whole population, the proportion engaging in heavy episodic drinking was stable at around 18 per cent from 2012 to 2016. The figure also includes separate lines for the 16-30 and 31-79 age groups. These two groups exhibited slightly different trends. For the 16-30 age group, the proportion fell from 34 per cent to 28 per cent, while for the 31-79 age group, the proportion remained stable at around 13 per cent. Source:The Norwegian Institute of Public Health
FAQs
In 2021, the per capita consumption of fruit and berries reached 85 kilograms. In this year, this was the highest consumption volume among these selected food products. By comparison, 83 kilograms of grains (including rice) were consumed per person in the country.
What is the consumer spending in Norway? ›
Norway consumer spending for 2022 was $188.89B, a 0.23% decline from 2021. Norway consumer spending for 2021 was $189.33B, a 18.53% increase from 2020. Norway consumer spending for 2020 was $159.73B, a 10.98% decline from 2019.
What is the average income in Norway in US dollars? ›
As of the latest data, the typical monthly income for a full-time worker in Norway is around 47,000 NOK (approximately 4,700 USD) before taxes. Annually, this amounts to an average salary of about 564,000 NOK (or roughly 56,400 USD).
Why does Norway have such a good economy? ›
The country has a very high standard of living compared with other European countries. Norway's modern manufacturing and welfare system rely on a financial reserve produced by exploitation of natural resources, particularly North Sea oil.
What food does Norway eat the most? ›
Norway's cuisine is mainly characterized by being rich in fish and seafood. It is famed for its salmon, but also for dried cod, whale meat, king crab or game meat such as elk or reindeer. It is a light cuisine, but very tasty, since many of its dishes are usually accompanied by mild sauces.
Is Norway food sufficient? ›
Meanwhile, Norway presents a model of moderate self-sufficiency, achieving a 50% rate in food and agriculture. These snapshots offer a glimpse into the complexities of global food security and the varied strategies countries employ towards achieving self-sufficiency and addressing hunger.
What is Norway's primary source of income? ›
Oil, gas, seafood, and products from energy-intensive industry are among our main export commodities. Our sea areas are six times the size of our land area, and our ocean-based industries account for almost 40 % of our total value creation, and 70 % of our exports.
Is Norway a cashless society? ›
Norway has an unbanked population of 0%, meaning every single citizen has a bank account. Only around 2% of payments in the country are made with cash. With 32 ATMs per 100,000 people, Norway is currently one of the most likely countries to become a cashless society.
What is the main economy of Norway? ›
Norway: Economy
| Economic Trivia | Norway is the world's third-largest natural gas exporter; and seventh largest oil exporter. |
|---|
| Top Industries | Petroleum and Gas; Food Processing; Shipbuilding; Pulp and Paper Products |
1 more rowHowever, according to the figures in Numbeo, a single person (living outside of Oslo) should be comfortable on a 500,000 - 600,000 NOK salary per year, while a family (living outside of Oslo) should be comfortable on an 800,000 - 1,000,000 NOK annual salary.
The Norway housing market is somewhat competitive. The median sale price of a home in Norway was $277K last. The median sale price per square foot in Norway is $204, up 209.8% since last year.…
Is 500k a good salary in Norway? ›
550 000-700 000 is normal. 400 000-500 000 is quite low. Anything below 400 000 is very low.
Who is richer, Sweden or Norway? ›
Why is Norway so much richer than Sweden and Denmark, when they're so close together? In a global perspective, Norway is not much richer than our Scandinavian neighbors. Our GDP per capita is about 50% higher than Sweden's and 30% higher than Denmark's. Adjusted for purchasing power, the difference drops to about 20%.
Is Norway a rich or poor country? ›
Further, when it comes to any unforeseen economic problem, Norwegians can always count on their $1.4 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest. Not only that, unlike many other rich nations, Norway's high per capita GDP figures are a reasonably accurate reflection of the average person's economic well-being.
Does Norway have free healthcare? ›
While public healthcare is available across Norway, it is only free for people 16 years and younger. It also free for pregnant and/or nursing women, regardless of coverage. Everyone else must pay an annual deductible equivalent to an average of 2,040 NOK (222 USD).
What do Norwegians drink the most? ›
Coffee consumption in Norway ranks among the highest in the world. Morning coffee, mid-day coffee, and after dinner coffee with dessert are typisk norsk (typical Norwegian) daily rituals.
What is Norway's biggest food export? ›
Norway's trade surplus for food products is NOK 44 billion
Raw materials of seafood hold the largest share in export value, while imports are largely driven by agricultural products.
What is Norway's favorite food? ›
Lamb or mutton is the main ingredient in many traditional dishes in Norway. Norwegian lamb meat is especially tender and juicy, since the lambs graze in vast expanses of untouched nature, with clean flowing water and rich vegetation. In autumn, you should try the Fårikål, lamb stew with cabbage, Norway's national dish!
What does Norway produce most? ›
Oil, gas, seafood, and products from energy-intensive industry are among our main export commodities. Our sea areas are six times the size of our land area, and our ocean-based industries account for almost 40 % of our total value creation, and 70 % of our exports.
