I wrote an article earlier describing Norway’s crazy prices for meat. I still was unable to answer my question though, why is meat so expensive in Norway?

Well, I don’t know how much closer I am to having an answer to my question, but I did find some interesting information on the subject that I wanted to share with you.

An article on the Aftenposten.no website on July 17,2007 talks about this subject.  They state that the prices of meat in Norway are 82% higher than the European average.

Not only did Norway have the highest prices for meat, but they actually had the highest prices of all food in general AND non-alcoholic beverages in Europe. The good news is, someone beat them for the highest prices of alcohol in Europe….Iceland’s alcohol costs 129% more than the European average.

But back to the main subject, Norway’s high priced meat. 82%?? I’m sorry, but that is a little high if you asked me. The article says that the reason for this is “to protect the high-cost Norwegian meat producers, not least by restricting cheaper imports.”

Another article I found on the subject says that Norway’s high taxes and high prices of meat have “created a truly idiotic crime; meat smuggling.” This article says that boarder patrol in Norway suspects organized smuggling gangs of supplying the market with contraband meat.

Darn you rump roast and chicken wing! Turing people into criminals, one steak at a time…..The prisons will be filled with the drug dealers and the members of the organized crime families of meat smugglers.

Okay, maby not that dramatic. But I know that if I have a craving for a real sink-your-teeth-into steak, I’m going to have to go on vacation and away from Norway!

To be continued….