Finnish grocery retail sales were valued at €1.42 billion in April, which marks a 3.8% increase on the same month last year, according to Päivittäistavarakauppa - the Finnish Grocery Trade Association.
Grocery sales saw the greatest increase in hypermarkets, with a 6.4% growth, while large and small supermarkets experienced increases of 4.8% and 4% respectively.
Sales were boosted by the late timing of Easter this year, making up for the fact that the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 1.7% compared to the previous year.
Overall, grocery sales have risen year-on-year in 2017, with figures increasing by 1.1% in the period from January to April.
Consumer Confidence
Finnish consumer confidence rose this month, reaching the highest level since the late 1990s, according to Bloomberg.
“A strong growth period is underway,” said Juhana Brotherus, chief economist at financial institution Hypo. “The positive news coverage on the Finnish economy has lasted for a while and that has strengthened confidence in the economy.”
After years of stagnation, Finland's economy is beginning to recover, with exports and consumer spending driving growth.
© 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.
