Shopping in Finland

Finland is a fantastic country with real winters and untouched nature. This country is famous not only for its unique holidays, but also for its shops with various goods of adequate quality and at acceptable prices. Shopping is considered to be a kind of entertainment, even a rest, for many people. And according to this fact, Finland appears as more attractive country before its guests.

Shops in Finland

A lot of shopping centers, supermarkets, stores, boutiques and markets in Finland offer different goods for every taste and purse and wait for the lovers of shopping.

Finns are known to be the real patriots of their country. That’s why they rate highly the goods of local producers, which are practical, solid and high-quality. 

Finnish shops are spacious, well thought-out. There is always the atmosphere of friendliness and attention to customers. There is fresh air in the shops because of the conditioners. One can find the wide choice of goods of perfect quality, the permanent system of discounts in Finnish stores.

Although there are shop-assistants, who speak Russian, in many Finnish stores, especially at the border with Russia, the knowledge of Finnish (or English) while shopping in Finland is an important advantage. The knowledge of Finnish will help you to find yourself at the right time in the right place and to spend sensibly your money.

The usual downtime of shops in Finland

The usual downtime of Finnish shops:
- on week-days - from 9.00 to 21.00,
- on Saturday – from 9.00 to 18.00.

Many shops work on Sunday from12.00 to 18.00 in summer and during the “Christmas boom” in November-December.

Rest-days:
- Sunday (excepting summer and “Christmas boom” in November-December),
- Independence Day in Finland – December, 6,
- Christmas – December, 25-26 (24.12 work in the morning; many of the shops work 31.12). 

Discounts and sales in Finland

The stores in Finland usually deflate at the end or at the beginning of the season on different seasonal clothing, footwear, sporting goods or on everyday equipments (at any time before the arrival of new models) as well as on the goods with any defects (this fact is marked on the label). They also deflate for cardholders and on the occasion of the anniversary of the store or any other holiday, or relocation, or repair, or, (God forbid!), bankruptcy.

There are always a lot of people in Finnish shops during the sales. However, you should remember, that the goods with a rebate are not exchangeable and non-refundable. As you see, the end of the season is the best time in Finland for making purchases. You should act according to the Russian proverb: “Prepare the sledge in summer and the cart - in winter”.

They usually begin to sell out winter collections in late January - early February, and to be exact, during the “Christmas sales” (from late December to late January).

The season of discounts on summer collection begins after the Midsummer Day in June until the mid-August.

The end of a year is the period of balance sheet and the renewal of the assortment. This time is for paying acquisition of various equipment, textiles and all kinds of household utensils.

There are also special inflow discharges stores. Such stores sell out everything that was not bought up to a certain period. Besides, large shopping centers and firms usually organize their own grandiose actions in the periods of “buyer's calm”.

"Tax Free" in Finland

A special system - “Tax Free” - is very popular among the tourists in Finland. “Tax Free” is the system of tax repayment from the price of goods (no less than 40 euros), when exporting it abroad. After the registration of “Tax Free” you shouldn’t unpack the purchase before crossing the border, otherwise the money will not be returned. Thanks to “Tax Free” you will save about 10% of the price of your purchase.

“R-kioski” in Finland 

“R-kioski” have sold mostly the press since 1911. Modern “R-kioski” (720) will offer you the necessary products for the road, beverage foods as well as the press, tickets for public conveyances and telephone cards. 

The sale of alcoholic drinks in Finland

You can buy only beer and light wine in any usual shop and supermarket in Finland. There are specialized shops “Alko” for selling alcoholic drinks in Finland.