Most markets opened normally on Thursday morning, despite strikes by union workers. Opening hours have, however, been shortened by many since Wednesday evening.
In Lahti, for example, the Sokos department store in the city centre and the adjacent S-market closed their doors as early as 3pm on Wednesday.
In Seinäjoki, Hyllykallio's Prisma also opened normally, but it was uncertain how late it would remain open on Thursday evening.
Iina Kalliorinne, market division manager for S-Group coooperatives in South Ostrobothnia, worked a checkout counter in Seinäjoki on the day of a strike in November.
"Employees are not obliged to declare whether or they are on strike. Last time we were able to keep the shop open smoothly until 6 pm. We're aiming to do the same today," says Kalliorinne.
According to Kalliorinne, shelves can be stocked Thursday, but strikes by the Finnish Food Workers' Union food union and in the transport sector will cause shortages of individual items later on.
"We are not running out of food, and we were pretty well prepared for this situation in advance," she explains.
Turku Citymarket closed for the night
According to Hannu Aaltonen, the manager of grocery sales for K-Citymarket Kupittaa, one of the largest stores in Turku, about 80 percent of staff in the food section came to work on Thursday.
Checkout staff and consumer goods sales are under separate management, so Aaltonen was unable to say how many were on the job in those sections of the store.
"We'll be closed for the night over the next couple of days. So tonight, Thursday, we will close sometime between 10pm and 11pm.
The market's online shopping service is also closed.
Aaltonen estimates that the strike will have an impact well into next week, as wholesalers and industry are also affected, which may cause some delivery problems.
Building a barrier in Mikkeli
The Prisma supermarket in Mikkeli faced an unusual situation on Wednesday evening.
The market was closing at 7pm, but an advance voting station immediately adjacent in the same shopping centre was open until 8pm.
Prisma's manager Jari Liimatainen says that he will be building a barrier out of shopping trolleys in front of the entrances to the store for the evening, to stop shoppers entering.
About half of the Liimatainen's employees came to work on Thursday.
