Denmark’s discount chains say they’re simplifying the promotion jungle to help shoppers, but new EU rules and watchdog scrutiny are the real drivers behind the shift—and consumers still need to watch unit prices carefully.
I’ve lived in Denmark long enough to know that the weekly tilbudsavis is a ritual. Every Thursday, mailboxes fill with glossy leaflets promising steep discounts on everything from ketchup to toilet paper. But lately, several major chains have announced they’re cutting back. As reported by DR, Rema 1000, Netto, Lidl and Coop’s 365discount are trimming the number of weekly offers and simplifying campaign formats. The chains frame this as a consumer-friendly clean-up of a confusing system. The reality is more complicated.
EU rules force transparency on promotions
The timing is not coincidental. Since May 2022, Denmark has implemented the EU’s Omnibus directive, which tightened rules on discount advertising. When a store advertises a reduced price, it must now show the lowest price from the previous 30 days as a reference. That makes it much harder to run rolling pseudo-discounts that are really just normal prices dressed up. The Competition and Consumer Authority, known as KFST, has explicitly tied its enforcement work to these rules and inspected grocery chains’ campaigns.
Chains have little choice but to simplify. Complex multi-buy deals and constantly rotating offers are risky when regulators are watching price histories. For expats used to straightforward pricing in other countries, Danish supermarkets have long felt like a game of strategy. Now the rules are finally catching up.
Rema leads the charge toward everyday low prices
Rema 1000 has been the most vocal about moving away from what it calls the “tilbudscirkus.” The chain emphasizes fewer promotions and more stable low prices on basics like milk, bread and pasta. It’s a strategy borrowed from parent company Reitan’s Norwegian playbook. For shoppers, it means fewer dramatic time-limited offers but theoretically more predictable pricing. Whether that actually saves money depends on how base prices compare across chains, something that requires diligent checking.
Netto and 365discount have taken a different tack. Both have slashed printed leaflets and shifted promotions to apps and digital platforms. Salling Group, which owns Netto, frames this as green and efficient. But it also creates a divide. Tech-savvy consumers with smartphones get targeted deals. Older shoppers and those without devices pay more. I’ve seen this tension play out in my own neighborhood, where elderly neighbors struggle to access app-only discounts.
Shrinkflation complicates the picture
While chains trumpet their promotion clean-up, another trend has accelerated quietly. Shrinkflation, where pack sizes shrink but prices stay the same or rise, has been widespread since 2022. Forbrugerrådet Tænk and European consumer groups have documented dozens of cases. A chocolate bar drops from 200 to 180 grams. Yogurt tubs lose 50 milliliters. The shelf price barely budges, but the unit price climbs.
This matters because even simplified offers can mislead if the underlying product has changed. The only reliable way to compare value is to check the price per kilo or liter. Danish law requires unit prices on shelf labels, but they’re often printed small and easy to miss. For expats navigating life in Denmark, this is a survival skill worth mastering early.
Watchdogs remain skeptical
Consumer advocates are not convinced that fewer offers equal lower prices overall. Tænk stresses that chains can simplify promotions while simultaneously raising base prices or shrinking products. The net effect on household budgets is unclear without systematic price tracking. Independent economists echo this caution. Retailers have an incentive to frame changes as consumer-friendly even when they protect margins.
KFST’s 2023 analysis found that campaigns still account for 20 to 40 percent of grocery turnover, depending on the chain and category. Danish retail remains heavily promotion-driven despite the rhetoric of change. The most price-sensitive households, who plan shopping around weekly deals, may lose out if the deepest discounts disappear.
The digital divide widens access to deals
The shift from paper to app raises fairness questions. Organizations like Ældre Sagen warn that digitalizing offers creates a two-tier system. Those comfortable with apps and loyalty programs get the best prices. Others pay more. This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about whether everyone has equal access to affordable food.
From a regulatory perspective, app-based pricing also opens new concerns. Chains collect purchasing data to tailor coupons individually. That can mean more relevant offers, but it can also mean different customers paying different prices for identical goods. EU regulators are increasingly scrutinizing such practices under rules against dark patterns and unfair digital marketing. Denmark’s Datatilsynet has already examined Salling Group’s loyalty program.
Europe-wide trends push transparency
Denmark is not alone in this debate. France and Italy have seen political battles over food prices, with voluntary price freezes and agreements on anti-inflation baskets. France’s competition authority has fined chains for misleading discounts. Germany has faced criticism over “permanently low price” claims lacking data. These European parallels suggest broader consumer pressure and regulatory momentum toward honest pricing.
The European Commission is also reviewing how digital marketplaces must present offers, which could further constrain supermarket apps
