Finnish grocery retail sales were valued at €4,489.7 million in June 2017, representing a 2.1% increase on the same month last year, according to Päivittäistavarakauppa - the Finnish Grocery Trade Association.
Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 1% compared to June 2016, while prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco increased by 4.8%.
Small supermarkets experienced the highest level of growth last month, with sales increasing by 5.7% compared to June 2016. Sales in large supermarkets increased by 4.9% and in hypermarkets by 2.6%. However, sales in small retail stores decreased by 3.3%, while supermarket sales declined by 7%.
2017 Performance
Growth in the grocery trade during the first six months of 2017 was highest in large supermarkets, where sales increased by 3.7% year-on-year. Sales in small supermarkets and hypermarkets have grown by 1.6% and 1.5% respectively.
However, supermarket sales have declined by 3.7% compared to the same period last year, while small retailers have experienced a decrease of 5%.
"The continued decline in the price of food has contributed to the growth in sales volume," said Kari Luoto, managing director of the Finnish Grocery Trade Association. "It is important that growth that is beneficial to the entire food chain and increased consumer confidence is not suppressed."
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
