Leave enough room in your luggage for some Norwegian souvenirs
Popular souvenirs
Knitting has a long tradition in Norway, and Norwegian sweaters are prized for their quality craftsmanship and unique, colourful designs. Jewellery making is also an old profession in Norway, with goldsmith traditions going back more than 2,000 years. As such, Norwegian jewellery has a reputation for its high standards and impeccable quality.
Other popular Norwegian souvenirs include trolls, pewter, silverware, porcelain, hand-painted wooden crafts, goat and reindeer skins, furs, glassware and ceramics. Certain brands of expensive Swiss watches are favourably priced in Norway, and are guaranteed to be genuine.
VAT
The VAT (sales tax) rate in Norway is 25% on regular goods and services and 15% for food. The prices you see in stores already include VAT.
Tax-free shopping
Tax refunds of 12–19% are available to all tourists except for those with legal residence in Sweden, Denmark or Finland. Over 3,000 shops across Norway offer tax-free shopping, and you can identify a participating store by the TAX FREE logo, which is usually displayed near the front entrance or by the register. The minimum purchase amount eligible for a refund—at one store—is NOK 315 on regular goods and NOK 290 for food products.
Cash refund offices/service desks can be found at various exits from Norway, such as at airports or on board ferries and cruise ships. When you go to request your refund on departure, make sure you have your goods with the receipts and Global Refund Cheque forms as well as your passport.
Norwegian Global Refund Cheques may also be cashed at most major airports in Europe. Please note that Norwegian Custom Authorities are not involved in the Global Refund Service and will not stamp Global Refund Cheques issued in Norway or any other countries.
