Finland

Retail sales of tobacco in Finland continued to fall in volume terms in 2023, consistent with the downward trend in smoking prevalence across the country. Finns are very aware of the harmful impact of smoking, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic,…

The market for smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Finland saw especially buoyant growth in retail volume terms in 2023, following the deregulation of nicotine pouches in April of the same year. This meant that these products,…

The market for cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Finland showed a mixed performance in 2023. On a positive note, cigars managed to maintain the broadly positive growth trend which had been in evidence since the start of the pandemic. The…

Volume sales of cigarettes in Finland continued to decline in 2023. Finns are very aware of the harmful impact of smoking, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a clear polarisation taking place between those who smoke and…

Finland’s economic growth stagnated in 2023, despite a rise in public consumption. In the near future, the country’s economic development is projected to improve with the help of the Next Generation EU scheme, although sluggish growth in private…

Inflation has led to price hikes in pet products and pet food but also in veterinary health care, with this influencing consumer purchasing decisions. Many providers of veterinary health care have been forced to increase their service fees making it…

Finland has relatively strict animal welfare regulations compared to many other markets and these have been further enhanced. Starting from 1 January 2024, the rules for keeping an animal at home have become even stricter as authorities seek to…

Other pet food is a much smaller area of the market than dog and cat food, but despite various challenges the category sustained relatively stable sales during the course of the review period. Various small mammals are often bought as beginner pets…

The pet dog population remained stable in 2023 but households came under growing pressure due to high inflation and a rise in the cost of living. This was reflected in double-digit growth in current value terms in dog food but only modest growth in…

Trading down did not have a significant impact on sales of cat food in 2023 despite price increases and a sharp rise in the cost of living. The quality of the cat food remains a top priority for Finns and thus they are generally reluctant to trade…

Sun care in Finland continues to show promise, with retail value sales reaching a near double-digit growth in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, this growth was driven primarily by rising product costs and a shift towards higher quality…

Skin care in Finland continues to shine, with retail value sales recording a nearly double-digit increase in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, a closer look reveals some interesting trends. Facial care emerged as the star performer in…

While premium beauty and personal care sales experienced positive growth in value terms in Finland in 2023, the volume growth trajectory varied across categories, ranging from stagnant to moderately negative. The challenging economic environment,…

Oral care in Finland experienced positive value growth in 2023, but this was primarily due to inflation-induced price increases. Some categories, like power toothbrushes, witnessed a decline in volume sales as consumers opted to delay non-essential…

Men's grooming in Finland experienced significant growth in retail value sales during 2023. However, this increase was primarily driven by inflation-related price hikes, with stagnant or slightly declining volumes.

In 2023, mass beauty and personal care in Finland exhibited robust growth, primarily in terms of value. This growth was multifaceted, driven partly by inflation-induced price increases but also by a notable shift from premium to mass categories. The…

Hair care in Finland experienced healthy value growth in 2023. However, this increase was largely driven by price hikes, with volume growth ranging from slightly negative to slightly positive. Consumers curtailed impulse purchases, leading to a…

Fragrances in Finland, as a product area, experienced positive growth in both volume and value terms in 2023. This can be attributed in part to a return to pre-pandemic fragrance use habits and high levels of marketing activity from major brands.…

Depilatories in Finland witnessed sluggish growth in 2023. Consumers, facing economic constraints, readily opted for private label or budget-friendly alternatives. This trend was particularly evident in the women's razor and blade area, where the…

While deodorant sales volume remained stable in Finland in 2023, the product area saw a healthy rise in value terms. This can be attributed, in part, to inflationary pressures pushing up unit prices. However, a more significant factor is the evolving…

Colour cosmetics sales demonstrated resilience in Finland in 2023, maintaining positive growth momentum. As some consumers gradually resumed pre-pandemic levels of cosmetic usage, heightened engagement from companies incentivised consumers to explore…

In 2023, beauty and personal care in Finland witnessed overall positive value growth, albeit largely attributed to inflation-driven price increases. This trend was particularly notable in categories such as bath and shower, deodorants, and…

In 2023, many categories within the bath and shower product area witnessed stagnant or moderately declining volume sales in Finland. This trend reflects consumers' immediate inclination towards cost-saving measures when faced with economic…

The overarching trend shaping the baby and child-specific product market in Finland is the decline in birth rates, a phenomenon that persisted throughout 2023. Following the peak witnessed in 2020, birth rates steadily declined to reach their lowest…

Despite being a mature product area, wipes in Finland continued to thrive in 2023, propelled by the enduring appeal of convenience. The price increase during the year prompted consumers to adopt a more discerning approach, carefully evaluating…

In 2023, consumers in Finland returned to normal lifestyles, with more citizens working in offices and travelling, and with more mobility, vending witnessed solid value growth to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Also, local “vending hubs” and their…

Tissue and hygiene in Finland witnessed a notable change in 2023, marked by a slowdown in price increases. However, the lingering effects of previous hikes left consumers highly attuned to costs, driving a preference for more affordable options. The…

In 2023, high inflation rates led to a second year of higher prices in supermarkets, which meant consumers in Finland had to be more careful regarding what they purchased. Even with inflation, current value sales declined in 2023, as consumers made…

Small local grocers in Finland remained the smallest grocery retail channel in Finland in 2023. Its significance within grocery retailers has been on a slow decline for a long time, although there was a slight increase in value sales in 2022/2023 due…

Despite facing challenges such as escalating prices, retail tissue in Finland exhibited a decline in 2023, with paper towels experiencing a more pronounced decrease compared to toilet paper. The latter, deemed a necessity, demonstrated greater…

Retail in Finland witnessed positive development in current value terms in 2023, although this was largely underpinned by retail price inflation. Grocery retailers saw a decline after a couple of years of solid growth, while non-grocery retailers…

In 2023, e-commerce in Finland outperformed the overall retail category by a greater margin than in 2022. The move from offline to online continued to impact the sales of offline channels – blurring the boundaries between online and offline through…

The growing ageing population in Finland acted as a primary catalyst for the volume sales growth of adult incontinence products throughout 2023. Heightened consumer awareness regarding incontinence issues, coupled with proactive educational efforts…

Amidst the backdrop of continued decline in birth rates during 2023, Finland's nappies/diapers/pants market witnessed a marginal decrease in volume sales. However, this decline was counterbalanced by a surge in value, attributed to price escalations…

Amidst external fluctuations, the landscape of menstrual care products in Finland exhibited resilience in 2023, with volume sales maintaining relative stability, underscoring the essential nature of these products. While a decline in towel sales…

Hypermarkets remains the leading retail (not only grocery retail) channel in Finland, with around a third of overall sales of grocery retailers in 2023. Hypermarkets has managed to maintain its extend its lead over supermarkets (the second biggest…

In 2023, current value sales slowed in home products specialists as consumer confidence weakened and Finland entered recession. Consumers cut back expenditure on home improvements and home furnishings as household budgets were allocated to more…

Health and beauty specialists in Finland is the second biggest non-grocery channel in Finland and is a category of growing importance. One of the main reasons for this growth is that pharmacy products are mostly essential. A high share of overall…

Variety stores in Finland witnessed a stellar performance in 2023, with current value growth reaching double-digits. Providing a wide offering of cheap products, variety stores have proved attractive to consumers in the economic downturn, as these…

Discounters in Finland registered stagnant current value growth in 2023, as inflation remained high and the Finnish economy weakened. Discounters proved a more attractive choice to consumers seeking affordable brands and private label. The location…

Direct selling has always been a marginal retail channel in Finland, and has in recent years seen a clear decrease – sales fell in 2023 for the seventh year in a row in current value terms. Even more worryingly, direct selling underperformed…

In 2023, convenience retailers in Finland witnessed only marginal current value growth, with much of this fuelled by high levels of inflation. Sales have suffered from lower purchasing power caused by the rising cost of living, with consumers…

The cumulative turnover of foodservice wholesale in January to August 2023 witnessed a notable increase compared to the previous year. This uptick in foodservice turnover has been a significant driver behind the growth in away-from-home tissue sales…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Finland witnessed further decline in 2023, in volume and current value terms, as the economy fell into recession. Sales of ovens, cooktops and furniture-covered appliances were most affected as consumers were…

The slowdown in the economy has not hit apparel and footwear specialists in Finland as hard as grocery retailers. Pent-up demand for clothing purchases since the pandemic, especially to wear at parties and celebrations, has sustained sales growth in…

The notable unit price growth in 2023 has prompted many Finns to optimise their consumption of toilet care products. Consumers are shifting away from in-cistern toilet blocks (ITBs) towards toilet liquids/foams due to their lower cost and the ability…

Surface care faces challenges during a period of price growth in 2023, with consumers focusing on essential purchases. Sprays, especially basic surface care sprays, remain the most popular format. However, disinfecting products experienced a notable…

High volume price growth continues to impede the volume sales growth of polishes in 2023. Consumers are prioritising necessary home care products over polishes, leading to a decline in their usage. The popularity of non-wood materials for furniture…

Laundry care has been adversely affected by rising prices, prompting Finns to adopt energy and water-saving practices. Consumers are prioritising full-capacity loads and opting for low-temperature washing cycles. Despite the overall decline, laundry…

High price increases in 2023 have negatively impacted the volume sales of insecticides. Consumers are now purchasing insecticides as needed, prioritising effectiveness in their selection process. Brand loyalty remains high in this category, with…