Efterfråge

Efterfråge is a term used in Swedish economic terminology to refer to the quantity of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to purchase at different prices over a specified period. The standard Swedish noun for this concept is vanligtvis efterfrågan, while efterfråge can appear as a variant or misspelling in informal texts. In formal contexts, efterfrågan is preferred, and efterfråge may be described as a nonstandard form or a verb form related to att efterfråga (to request).

In economic analysis, efterfråge describes the relationship between price and quantity demanded, typically illustrated by a downward‑sloping efterfrågekurva. A movement along the curve occurs when the price changes, while a shift of the curve occurs when nonprice factors alter consumer behavior. Key determinants include income, the prices of substitutes and complements, consumer preferences, expectations about future prices, the number of buyers, and seasonal or other external factors.

Elasticity is central to understanding efterfråge. Price elasticity measures how much quantity demanded responds to price changes. Other related measures are income elasticity, which captures responsiveness to income, and cross-price elasticity, which shows how demand for one good responds to the price of another.

Practically, efterfrågan interacts with utbud (supply) to determine market equilibrium price and quantity. Changes in efterfrågan have implications for pricing strategies, taxation, subsidies, and welfare analysis, reflecting how consumers allocate resources under varying economic conditions.