To be a kid in Norway and Sweden on a Saturday must be a wondrous thing; a common tradition for children on this day of the week is to get candy from local sweet shops.
In fact, this tradition is so common, the Norwegians have a word for it: lørdagsgodteri.
The word translates to “Saturday sweets” and the concept stems from 1950s Sweden.
Sofi Tegsveden Deveaux, an author and lecturer on Swedish culture and values describes its origination: “Swedish medical authorities began recommending sweets as a once-a-week treat, to try and limit rising cases of tooth decay as the country became richer.” Over time, the activity has evolved more into a family event to look forward to.
According to NRK, Saturday sweets were also recommended for dental health in Norway. In 2024, grocery store sales confirm that candy and snack sales tend to double as Saturday draws near. Candy-buying, like blood sugar levels, tends to spike on Saturday. Grocery wholesaler Norgesgruppen reports selling five times as much candy on Saturdays compared to other days of the week.
Though the concept may not at first seem very beneficial to children, economists argue that there is a lot to learn from the tradition. In particular, lørdagsgodteri teaches children how to budget and in turn, fosters independence. Around 7 out of 10 children in Sweden get a monthly or weekly allowance and many choose to save their earnings for lördagsgodis. A personal finance podcaster and household economist, Americo Fernández, agrees with the value it brings and believes the real-world application of the allowance for the potential purchase of candy is a more useful tool than simply trying to explain the idea of saving to a young child. It certainly promotes independent decision-making in this way.
Although this tradition has been rooted more so in physical money in the past, many people think the future of lördagsgodis and the lessons accompanying it will be just as prevalent with Sweden’s move towards being a cashless society. Fernández states “I think that the tradition will continue of children spending their first allowances on candy… I don’t see that changing.”
How do things look today? Are Norwegians and Swedes still following the recommendation of Saturday sweets? Both have generally loosened the tradition to enjoying snacks and sweets over the weekend. Regardless, lørdagsgodteri is deeply-rooted in both cultures and a great way for children and adults alike to end their week.
Sources:
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202006/index.php?startid=18&qs=candy#/p/12
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211004-lrdagsgodis-swedens-saturday-only-candy-tradition
https://www.morgenbladet.no/aktuelt/2023/04/26/hvorfor-far-vi-godteri-bare-pa-lordager/
https://www.nrk.no/kultur/xl/lordagsgodt-er-typisk-norsk-og-historien-bak-er-grotesk-1.16835728
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/sugar-consumption-by-country