Norwegians are facing a severe butter shortage which hinders them from baking traditional Christmas biscuits.

Butter has sold out in some stores partly as the result of a “low-carb” diet sweeping the Nordic nation which emphasizes a higher intake of fats.

Sales suddenly soared by 20 per cent in October and 30 per cent in November.

Others blame a wet summer which reduced the quality of animal feed and cut milk production.

Thor-Arne Englund works the environmental organization ZERO.