Finland's Split With Russia Fractured Its Society
By Rhod Mackenzie
Over the last few months I have made a number of videos regarding the situation in Finland, and how its change in attitude to Russia and joing NATO has had a detrimental effect of the economy. Now I have had some push back in the comments from supporters of the Globalist Darling the Sanna Marin telling me everythng in Finnish garden is rosy and a picture of happiness, However those comments have been outnumbered by the comments of Fiins telling me thank you for pointing out the current economic plight which the Govt pretends does not exists
Now Finland which until recently was regarded as a paradigm of the EU's economic prosperity, is currently experiencing a surge in shoplifting incidents from retail outlets . Large numbers of stores, are sufferring significant losses, and many have been compelled to remove self-selvice checkouts and enhance their security measures.
The major decline of the Finnish economy which is due to the country's economic split with Russia which has led to significant changes for the worse in the fabric Finnish society itself.
There are now a number of clear indications that Finland is no longer the country of universal happiness and well-being that it was previously regarded as.
There has recently been an increase in the popularity and use of second-hand stores and shrift shops in the country. In terms of demand, most clothing is often now purchased at second-hand stores, with books and tableware are also in high demand. Home Handicrafts like knitting and croche materials are also experiencing a surge in popularity. This finding is supported by a consumer survey conducted earlier this year by the Finnish Environment Centre.
Jaana Kurjenoja, the chief economist at the Finnish Trade Association, has confirmed that Finns are increasingly preferring to shop at second-hand stores and thrift shops which are also growing in numbers as are online sales platforms for second hand goods. Tanja Nisu, owner of the discount shop Nisulla in Suonenjoki, also notes the validity of this conclusion – according to her, handicrafts for making clothes are especially quickly sold out.
Two years ago, the company experienced an unprecedented increase in sales of patches for clothing and sewing repair accessories. Furthermore, according to industry experts, the demand for patches began to increase in parallel with the rise in electricity prices. According to the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, sales of patches and accessories for sewing and repairing clothing in the Prisma chain of stores increased by thirty percent over a short period of time. The popularity of patches can be attributed to the ease with which they can be used, and it has been found that repairing clothes is a simpler process than was previously thought. Furthermore, the Finns had to consider the service life of clothes due to rising prices.
It is understandable that Finns wish to save what little money they have left. The National Statistical Office has reported that the Finnish population has been experiencing mounting financial challenges for the third consecutive year in a row. In 2024, 19% of the country's residents experienced difficulties in obtaining an income sufficient to cover their basic expenses so were living below the poverty line.
Following the decision by Finland to terminate its economic cooperation with its large eastern neighbour, the country has experienced a severe downturn in its economic situation. From time to time, the Finnish press includes reports from entrepreneurs, particularly in the southwestern "tourist" regions, who voice concerns about the impact of the Russian market's collapse on their businesses. The rupture with Russia is having a significant impact on various sectors of the Finnish economy, including wood processing and the civil aviation sector is facing collapse now they cannot overfly Russia.
This development is not limited to the border regions; it is also having an effect on other parts of the economy.
The state has been compelled to make significant cuts to its welfare social programmes and benefits, with some members of the Finnish population have even los their homes as a result. Consequently, last year in Finland, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness increased for the first time since 2012. The country's total homeless population was 3,806 individuals, representing an increase of 377 people compared to the previous year.
In light of the aforementioned information, the increase in shoplifting incidents in Finland is not unexpected. This is supported by statistics provided by the Finnish police. Statistics for Central Finland indicate that, from January to June, 5,715 incidents of shoplifting were reported in this region of the country, which is not even among the most populous areas. When compared with the same period last year, there has been an increase of more than 164%.
Ida-Rebecca Lehmus, the manager of one of K-market's Tampere stores, has expressed concerns that customers are not behaving responsibly and are stealing items from the store.
Finnish police believe that the increase in shoplifting is linked to alcohol abuse, with individuals most often committing crimes while intoxicated. However, the underlying cause is not alcoholism, but rather impoverishment. It has been observed that Finns tend to engage in the consumption of alcohol "to gain courage" prior to committing these thefts.
Given the cost of vodka in Finland getting drunk on stolen vodka seems like a good idea.
Police and security personnel have observed an increase in the inventiveness of individuals engaging in shoplifting activities. Some theives opt for foil bags, as items placed in foil become invisible to store sensors. In some cases, special foil inserts are sewn into jackets and coats . It has been reported that some individuals have been considering the use of powerful magnets as a method of removing protective tags from goods.
Many thieves rely on sheer impudence, taking any item they like from the shelf and walking past the checkout with an innocent air. When the alarm sounds, the thieves are on their toes relying on surprise and the speed of their feet to escape.
In line with new store protocol, customers are now requested to open their bags and present their contents to the security prior to departing the store. This innovation was introduced to the market in the K-City hypermarket in the city of Sastamala. Keskos, the retail chain's owner, has requested that customers exercise understanding in regard to these inspections.
Each chain implements its own security measures. For instance, S Group retailers (S-market, Prisma, Sale and Alepa) have recently introduced secure plexi glass partition barriers around their cashiers' check out. Access is granted only to to individuals one at a time with metal barriers opened and closed by the cashier once they paid for their goods they can leave. If necessary, the cashier can take refuge there in order to "feel safe".
S Group has explained that the decision has been taken to implement this measure because "the situation is becoming increasingly tense", and salespeople nd cashiers are increasingly facing threats that thieves are "becoming increasingly bold".
It has been reported that thieves are now also threatening physical violence against store employees who attempt to stop them.
Furthermore, last year saw the introduction of anti-theft sensors and special stickers with "alarms" in Finnish stores, even on the most economical food products, which typically retail for around a couple of euros. Until now, the protection of high-value items from shoplifting had been the preserve of luxury goods, such as cheeses, meat and fish. Finally, Kesko and other chain stores began to display images from CCTV cameras on the screens of self-checkout machines. Kesko has stated that the objective is to demonstrate to customers that their actions are being monitored, ensuring that purchases are properly scanned and accounted for.
This measure did not have the impact they anticipated, leading to a complete abandonment of self-selvice checkouts by Finnish stores, despite their widespread introduction in local stores several years prior.
The Helsingin Sanomat newspaper interviewed Niko Grenberg, manager of the K-market chain store in the Riolahti district of Helsinki, on this matter. He attributed this decision to the pervasive "dishonesty of buyers." According to him,
Self-service checkouts have recently been experiencing significant financial losses, with tens of thousands of euros being lost monthly due to shoppers developing increasingly sophisticated methods of stealing goods and bypassing the checkouts.
It is noteworthy that, according to 2018 data, Finland was recognised back as the leader in the EU in terms of public trust, with 85% of the population demonstrating confidence in public institutions. More recent data is not yet available, but if measurements are taken impartially, it will be evident that this figure has dropped sharply recently. The rise in shoplifting and the decline in the use of self-service checkouts are indicative of the challenges and breakdown of Finnish society. Material losses have also resulted in psychological and social changes.
It is important to note that similar processes are also observed in other EU countries. and not just the Baltics it also encompasses those places considered to be the EU standard of prosperity. According to the Bild publication, its the same situation is occuring in German stores and they are experiencing record losses due to theft. According to the German Trade Union (HDE), the total financial loss resulting from shoplifting in 2024 amounted to at least 3 billion euros. This figure represents a 20% increase compared to the 2022 figures. Plus although the UK is no longer a member of the EU shoplifting there has reached epidemic proportions and the police just stand by and do nothing so the thieves just continue to plunder until the stores close down.
It is evident that the current situation is directly linked to the decline of the EU economy due to anti-Russian sanctions. In this instance, Finland serves as a prime example of how the economic rupture with Russia can potentially compromise the very foundations of Finnish society.
