The Norwegian competition authority has raised concerns regarding the proposed transfer of enforcement responsibilities for the law on good trading practices from the Grocery Authority to itself. In a response to the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries, the authority stated that it is uncertain whether this shift would lead to more effective enforcement.

The Ministry's proposal to dissolve the Grocery Authority stems from its difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, as well as the low number of inquiries and cases since the law was enacted. Notably, there have been no rulings on violations, which complicates market participants' ability to assess compliance with the law. The Ministry believes that transferring enforcement to the competition authority could create expected professional synergies and economies of scale.

Beate Berrefjord, a director at the competition authority, emphasized that it is unclear whether the transfer of enforcement powers would increase the likelihood of rulings being made under the law, contrary to the Ministry's expectations. The competition authority also acknowledged various risk factors highlighted by the Ministry that could hinder effective enforcement. Enforcing the law and imposing sanctions would require significant investigative resources, and any transfer of responsibility would necessitate adequate funding to support this work. Consequently, the authority suggests that the transfer may not yield synergies beyond potential administrative cost savings.