An immigrant criticizes Norwegian food stores. Rightly so.

A Scottish journalist residing in Norway has voiced sharp criticism of the Norwegian food market, describing the supermarket experience as "quite sad." Thomas Hornall, who has been living in Geilo for the past year, took to social media platform X to express his dismay over the state of food retail in the country.

Hornall's critique highlights a perceived imbalance in the Norwegian food system. He observed that supermarkets function primarily as convenience stores, offering an abundance of ultra-processed items, canned goods, and pre-packaged products. In stark contrast, he noted that fresh fish, chicken, beef, fruits, and vegetables are prohibitively expensive.

His assessment suggests a significant reliance on processed foods, with approximately 50 percent of all food sold in Norway being ultra-processed. This observation points to a potential challenge for consumers seeking healthier, less processed options and raises questions about the accessibility and affordability of fresh, whole foods within the Norwegian market.

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Moved to Norway and was shocked by the food system. The supermarkets are basically just large convenience stores. Everywhere there is ultra-processed food, canned goods and pre-packaged products, while fish, chicken, beef, and fruits and vegetables are very expensive. Around 50 percent of all food sold in Norway is now ultra-processed.