SVERRE STRANDBERG

Subprice
the lowest prices in norway

Grocerry discount chain in central Oslo, various materials, 2007


Subprice was launched as prototype of a new grocery discount chain in Scandinavia, operating as a fully functional store throughout Mai 2007. Once inside the store, though, surroundings appeared strange enough to make the shoppers suspicious; selling only 15 different products, with prices below the established low-price chains and with only 2 employees. Everything was stripped down to the bone in order to cut prices even more, to the point of ridiculousness, or maybe not.

The rationality of shopping in discount chains (in order to work less) becomes uncanny when no other alternatives exists. The modern thought of collecting food reduces to a "soulless" activity. Subprice sort of aims to be this image, without shouting it out.




Newspapers received Subprice as real business.




Interior view




Customers at Subprice


Curious people outside



Key selling points - Subprice:

- Only 15 products in stock (changing every second week)
- Only 2 Employees in one day shift (10-18)
- Patented foodcontainers
- Direct delivery from producers
- Shop is in temporary buildings with low rent

 


Subprice flyer

 

Exerpt from catalogue text:

The shop is actually an image. Or maybe even a monument, over a specific development in the business of retailing everyday goods in Norway. This business seems to be caught in a downward spin, driven by a desire for lower prices at the cost of almost every other value in vogue: quality, diversity, sustainability and so forth. In what is probably the richest country in the world, this is a rather overlooked development. Subprice is also timely consideration of how art can vocalize the obscure ways in which our world is changing, thereby making it possible to discuss them and maybe even influence them.

- Niels Henriksen


Download the complete Subprice documentation (5.3 MB PDF)

Subprice took place in Prinsens gt 12 (Oslo) and Stenersenmuseet.

Check out old website: www.subprice.no





Food were sold in custom-made containers with "fake bottoms".

 


More customers




Customer buying: Coca-Cola, Twix and Princles

 


Employee organizing food

 

 


Subprice on internett (only in Norwegian). Inspired by Aldi in Germany.