Swedish food prices fall 5.5% in April 2026, inflation halves to 0.8%
VAT on food fell from 12% to 6% on 1 April 2026. A family spending SEK 8,000 a month on groceries pays about SEK 440 less.
Inflation in Sweden halved in April 2026. Statistics Sweden's flash estimate shows CPIF inflation falling from 1.6% in March 2026 to 0.8%. Food is the main reason.
"In the preliminary figures we can see that food prices fell by 5.5% from March to April 2026," says Sofie Öhman, price statistician at Statistics Sweden (SCB).
The VAT on food was halved on 1 April 2026
VAT on food ("matmoms") dropped from 12% to 6% on 1 April 2026. The cut is temporary and runs until 31 December 2027. Restaurant meals still carry 12% VAT.
For a family spending SEK 8,000 a month on groceries, prices 5.5% lower mean about SEK 440 less each month.
The figures
| Measure | March | April |
|---|---|---|
| CPIF | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| CPI | 0.5% | -0.1% |
| CPIF excluding energy | 1.1% | 0.0% |
CPIF is the measure the Riksbank targets. It holds mortgage rates fixed, so rate changes do not move the figure. The flash estimate is preliminary. Statistics Sweden publishes the final figures on 13 May 2026.
What it means for interest rates
The Riksbank announces its next rate decision tomorrow, 7 May 2026. The policy rate ("styrränta") is 1.75% today.
Back in March 2026 the Riksbank already counted on temporary effects on inflation from the VAT changes.
In March 2026 the Riksbank also wrote that higher energy prices after the war in the Middle East are set to lift inflation, and that its forecast is very uncertain. A low inflation figure driven by a tax cut therefore says less about the path of rates than the number alone suggests.
Nothing changes for your mortgage today. Your variable rate moves only if the Riksbank or your bank changes it. You can compare the banks' current mortgage rates in our rate table.
Sources
- Statistics Sweden: CPI flash estimate, April 2026 (Swedish)
- Swedish Tax Agency: VAT on food cut to 6% (Swedish)
- Riksbank: Monetary policy decision, March 2026 (Swedish)
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