Sweden, meanwhile, is surviving with the help of imported butter. The lack of butter, which left parts of the dairy sections empty in both countries earlier in the fall, has created an online market. Even opened butter packages are sold on line to extreme prices. But Atle Wold, Department Director at Mattilsynet (Norwegian Food Safety Authority) puts out a warning about the Swedish online butter.

“Food should be bought from professional dealers, not privately,” he says to the magazine VG. Bringing in butter from Sweden is not easily done; butter is not duty-free, which a Russian man who tried to smuggle in 90 kilos of Swedish butter (roughly 200 lbs) via Svinesund found out: He was quickly arrested. Says Jonas Carlberg, Director for the Milk Political Department at Svensk Mjölk: “Norway has, at least in our view, very high restrictions when it comes to importing produce. They are protective of their own production, that’s why. Thanks to increased import from Denmark and Finland, we’re OK with butter in Sweden for now, and we believe it’s going to stay like that until Christmas.”