Year: 2026

Commerce is starting to grow – the brake on consumption is easing up

The sales volume and turnover of the retail sector have been growing since September. However, employment in the retail sector continues to fall. The Finnish Commerce Federation predicts that sales will grow moderately this and next year. At the same time, however, it estimates that up to 12,000-13,000 jobs in the sector will be lost by 2027 when compared to 2024. Consumers' caution is slowing down the recovery of demand, and the Finnish Commerce Federation is proposing an increase in the tax credit for household expenses and a temporary removal of transfer tax to accelerate consumption.

The number of parcels from China increased strongly in 2025

Customs' statistics* show that the number of consignments from outside the EU continued to increase sharply in 2025. The number increased by 46 per cent from the previous year – from 27.8 million consignments to 40.5 million. The commerce sector expects the government to take significant measures to address the unhealthy competition.

The commerce sector is clearly the largest summer employer in the economy – the search for this year's summer jobs is ongoing

The commerce sector will once again employ tens of thousands of young people this summer. Summer jobs offer young people the opportunity to earn money, gain work experience and take their first steps on a career path in a diverse working environment in commerce. Young people’s experiences of working in commerce are positive: when compared to other sectors, the sector receives the best ratings for the working atmosphere and above-average ratings for orientation.