köpevaror

Köpevaror, in Swedish accounting, refers to goods that a business purchases for resale or for use in its ordinary trading activities. The term is commonly used by retailers and wholesalers to distinguish goods held for sale from other assets such as raw materials, work in progress, or fixed assets. Köpevaror are considered inventory and typically appear as a current asset on the balance sheet until the goods are sold.

When a business buys köpevaror, the purchase is recorded at cost, including expenses necessary to bring the goods to a saleable state, such as freight and handling. VAT is generally accounted for separately as input tax if recoverable from the tax authorities, so the inventory value is recorded net of VAT. At the end of a reporting period, the stock is valued, usually at cost or lower of cost and net realizable value (NRV), depending on the applicable accounting rules. If the NRV falls below cost due to obsolescence or market decline, a write-down may be necessary.

Upon sale of a köpevara, the cost associated with the sold goods is transferred from the köpevaror inventory to cost of goods sold (Kostnad för sålda varor), matching the expense with the revenue generated by the sale. This movement does not affect revenue directly but reduces inventory and increases the expense in the income statement.

Köpevaror differ from other inventory categories such as raw materials or finished goods used in production or service delivery. Accurate handling of köpevaror supports proper valuation of assets, appropriate cost of goods sold calculations, and reliable financial reporting.