Finland is a small market with a few big chains, excellent online shopping and a second-hand culture that makes furnishing a first apartment cheap. Here is who sells what.
Groceries
| Chain | Shops | Character |
|---|---|---|
| S-group | Prisma (hypermarket), S-market, Alepa, Sale | everywhere; S-Etukortti bonus |
| K-group | K-Citymarket, K-Supermarket, K-Market | slightly pricier, better fresh counters; Plussa card |
| Lidl | Lidl | cheapest basics, good bakery |
| Tokmanni | Tokmanni | discount household goods and dry groceries |
Ethnic groceries in every city carry rice, spices and vegetables the chains do not; in Helsinki, Hakaniemi market hall and the shops around it, and the Itäkeskus area.
Electronics and phones
Verkkokauppa.com (the biggest online electronics store, with showrooms), Gigantti, Power, plus the operators' shops for phones. Prices are close; Verkkokauppa's online prices are the benchmark.
Furniture and home
IKEA (Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku, Kuopio, Raisio), Jysk and Sotka for cheap, Asko and Isku for Finnish quality. Second-hand first, though: see below.
Clothes, especially winter
Warm layers are not optional. Stockmann and Sokos department stores, Intersport and XXL for outdoor gear, H&M and Lindex for basics, and the Finnish brands Reima (children's outdoor clothes, the national religion), Luhta, Halti and Sasta for adults. Second-hand winter coats from Fida and UFF are a newcomer's secret.
Online shopping and parcels
Every chain sells online. Parcels go to Posti or Matkahuolto lockers at the supermarket; you get a code by app or text, and the locker opens 24 hours a day. Returns are easy and the 14-day right of return applies to all online purchases in the EU.
Ordering from outside the EU: Finnish VAT (25.5 percent) is charged on every order and customs duty above a threshold; the courier collects it before delivery. A cheap gadget from abroad is rarely cheap after tax. Orders from other EU countries carry no extra charges.
Second-hand
- Tori.fi: the classifieds site for everything from sofas to cars; meet the seller, pay by MobilePay.
- Kierrätyskeskus (capital region), Kontti (Red Cross), Fida, UFF: charity and reuse shops with furniture and clothes.
- Flea markets (kirpputori): rented tables in halls; the Hietalahti market in summer.
- Facebook groups for neighbourhood giveaways.
Pharmacies and Alko
Medicines only from apteekki; alcohol above supermarket strength only from Alko. See everyday life.
Shopping Finnish
| Finnish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| tarjous, ale | offer, sale |
| palautusoikeus | right of return |
| noutopiste, pakettiautomaatti | pickup point, parcel locker |
| käytetty | used |
| Onko tämä tarjouksessa? | Is this on offer? |