During the coronavirus pandemic thousands of merchants closed their stalls in Finland’s traditional open-air markets, but many old and new market traders are now returning.
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This year, Mika Pitkänen made the switch from a regular paid job to independent market trader. Image: Petri Julkunen / Yle
Impacted by restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic and rising costs, more than 5,000 merchants disappeared from the market stall and local event sales sector over the last five years. At the same time, many older market traders chose to retire and close their stalls for good.
However, according to the sector’s umbrella organisation, the low point in this trend has already been passed.
The market and fairs trade is starting to show signs of a revival. According to fresh statistics, there are now around 6,000 merchants doing business at stalls in open-air markets around the country. Ari Kallas, Executive Director of the Central Organisation of Finnish Outdoor Markets and Fairs (TMK), says that the number of part-time traders in particular has rebounded.
Kallas still believes that government restrictions during the pandemic were unfair.
“Many people just got fed up. Outdoor market trading was severely restricted, while supermarket sales were allowed with virtually no restrictions,” he points out.
Now, traders who have continued to operate in the sector are seeking earnings from a wider range of locations than before. Some also do business online.
Local food and fresh produce
The number of open-air marketplaces in the country has also fallen from 400 five years ago to 300 today. Most marketplaces have only been busy during the summer season, and only a few dozen are really active.
Mika Pitkänen, who decided to make the switch from employee to independent market trader at Kuopio’s market square, admits that Finland’s open-air markets have in part fallen on hard times. He sees is a clear link between the vitality of a town and its marketplace.
In Kuopio, the market square has been turned into an event centre and christened “Mualiman Napa”, meaning in the local dialect “the navel of the world”. It has the reputation of being the best open-air market in Finland.
“Kuopio has had its fair share of market traders and new ones are entering the industry. I myself went into business when the opportunity presented itself, and have 40 summers of experience in the industry. I want to keep the tradition alive,” explains Mika Pitkänen.
Over the years, Pitkänen has noticed a changing customer base. The average age of the clientele has become younger along the way. What customers most want above all, he says, are locally-produced foods and fresh produce.
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