Shopping.

Shopping in the north is a matter of timing: chain markets close between 21:00 and 23:00.

Being organised in the cold means not going hungry or cold. Markets by country:

—Norway — REMA 1000, Kiwi, Coop (cheapest to priciest).
—Sweden — ICA, Willys.
—Iceland — Bónus (pink pig logo), Krónan.
—Tax refund — in Norway and Sweden, ask the cashier for “Tax Free.”

+Added · March 2025·Contactless paymentCash is all but gone in the northern countries — even small fishing-town markets take cards only. Apple Pay / Google Pay work everywhere. Local mobile payment apps are common too: Vipps in Norway, Swish in Sweden, MobilePay in Denmark — but these need a local phone number; tourists usually get by with a card.+Added · September 2024·Markets that stay open24-hour markets are next to nonexistent in the Scandinavian north. Fuel stations (Circle K, YX, OKQ8) are mostly open at night and sell sandwiches and hot drinks — that's the backup plan that saves a tired night. Once Friday evening passes 21:00 the market door shuts tight, and prices at the fuel station run 1.5× higher.

How to read+ Green · added× Pink · corrected

This page's history

March 2025+Contactless payment · Vipps / Swish
September 2024+Night-open fuel station note
December 2019○Original · book edition