People in Finland appear to have made fairly big changes in their diets over the past year, according to grocery sales at S Group stores.
Around this time last year, the Finnish Food Authority issued updated nutritional guidelines recommending that people consume less animal protein and more fruits and vegetables than in the past.
Among other things, it said people should ideally consume around 500-800 grams of vegetables, fruits and berries a day and up to 350 grams of red meat (down from 500g of beef, pork and lamb) per week — with as little processed meat (cold cuts and sausages) as possible.
S Group's Senior Vice President of Sales, Hans Backström, said he is surprised that consumers seem to have kept the guidelines in mind this long.
The cooperative retailer examined grocery sales figures of the first 10 months of this and last year — January-October — as the recommendations were issued in November 2024.
It found that fresh produce sales grew by four percent, year-on-year. Sales of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce all increased. An S Group survey found that some people have replaced meat on their sandwiches with vegetables.
Meanwhile, sales of bananas, apples and citrus fruit also increased significantly more than a year ago.
Tofu vs meat
People also seem to be eating less meat, as the authority has recommended.
Sales of tofu products have increased by 17 percent at S Group stores since the recommendations were issued, while shoppers were also buying more of the soy-based products at its main competitor, K Group stores.
Shoppers are also increasingly buying other plant-based proteins and canned beans.
At the same time processed meat sales have dropped by seven percent, year-on-year, at S Group's shops.
Ground beef sales also dipped but this was largely influenced by supply and availability, according to Backström.
"In terms of beef, there is more demand than supply in Finland as well as around the world," he explained.
The group noted that people increasingly pick poultry or pork over beef. It saw comparative meat sales decline by one percent. A store survey found 70 percent of its customers say they eat meat on a regular basis.
Fish sales up, too
S Group saw sales of fresh fish increase by eight percent over the yearlong period, while its store brand Kotimaista fish products were bought by nearly half of its customers.
The authority's updated guidelines also called for more moderate consumption of dairy products.
Milk sales decreased somewhat, and sales of plant-based dairy replacement products (like oat and soy milk) increased — but their sale volumes still lag far behind those of real milk.
The popularity of oat-based drinks has been growing for some time, and they continued to increase over the past year.
However, Backström said the tight financial situation of many households appears to be steering their shopping habits at the supermarket.
"More than half of our customers buy the cheapest food products," he explained.
The S Group is Finland's largest grocery chain, with a 49-percent market share.
