In January–June, the retail sales before taxes of S Group’s grocery and non-food retail totalled EUR 5,438.4 million. Sales grew by 2.1 per cent year-on-year.

“Sales in grocery and non-food retail developed favourably in the first half of the year. Growth was particularly strong in our online stores: the S-kaupat service and Prisma.fi. The development of online grocery shopping was driven by an increase in customer numbers and express deliveries, alongside the expansion of our network. The online grocery trade already covers nearly 600 outlets across Finland," says Hannu Krook, CEO of SOK.

In the early part of the year, consumers continued to be cautious with their spending, and price remained a key factor in customer choices. When shopping for groceries, customers were particularly interested in fruit and vegetables, ready meals and various snack products. The spring and early summer weather, which was warmer than in the previous year, boosted the sales of ice cream and beverages. Many also wanted to invest in grocery shopping for seasonal holidays such as Easter and Midsummer. In non-food retail, demand grew for products such as toys, as well as barbecue and fitness products, during the first half of the year.

Sokos.fi online store and successful campaigns drive speciality retail

The sales of S Group’s specialty retail in January–June totalled EUR 119.5 million, decreasing slightly from the previous year. Customers were particularly interested in campaigns, in which the Sokos and Emotion chains performed well during the first half of the year.

The strong growth of the Sokos.fi online store continued as well, driven by even smoother deliveries: orders from the Sokos.fi online store can now be collected from as many as 300 S Group stores. An increasing number of customers are also engaging in multichannel shopping.

During the first half of the year, sales were brisk in categories such as home goods and menswear. Haircare products were also on many customers’ shopping lists during the spring season. Similarly, the expanding product ranges from Åhléns attracted customer interest. Home products from Åhléns can now be found in all Sokos department stores, and fashion products in six department stores. The products are also available on the Sokos.fi online store, where the selection includes Åhléns’ popular Rikiki children's clothing line, among other products.

Sales in fuels retail and service stations developed strongly in the first half of the year

Total sales in S Group’s fuels retail and service stations in January–June amounted to EUR 1,129.2 million. Sales increased by 18.9 per cent year-on-year. This growth was driven by an increase in fuel sales volumes, spurred by the changed market situation for service stations, alongside a rise in fuel market prices caused by the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The strong sales performance in the first half of the year was further supported by increased corporate sales.

The strong growth in vehicle charging sales continued, with sales from January to June nearly 1.5 times higher than in the previous year. In addition to the electrification of transport, this growth was reinforced by significant investments in the ABC chain’s charging network.

Despite the rise in fuel prices, traffic volumes on Finland's main roads remained at the previous year's level, and the summer season got off to an equally strong start. Consequently, the demand for services at ABC stations remained brisk throughout the first half of the year. The positive performance in car wash sales was driven by an excellent car wash peak season in the spring. In terms of restaurant offerings, fast-food options in particular grew in popularity alongside the traditional ABC buffet. At ABC Markets, motorists were particularly drawn to products such as beverages, ice cream and ready meals.

Travel industry and hospitality business sees higher demand than in the previous year

Sales in S Group’s travel industry and hospitality business amounted to EUR 397.7 million in January–June. This represents an increase of 2 per cent from the previous year.

The recovery of the tourism trade continued after several challenging years. Overall, the first half of the year was busier for hotels than in the previous year, despite the fact that months like April and May featured fewer major events this year than in 2025.

In the restaurant sector, particularly cafés and fast-food concepts, as well as conference and banquet restaurants, grew in popularity. Meanwhile, the early onset of spring and the warm weather boosted demand in bars and lounges, getting the summer season in the hospitality business off to a busy start.

The retail sales before taxes of regional cooperative enterprises, SOK and their subsidiaries 1–6/2026

Grocery and non-food retail includes S-Group’s grocery trade and Prisma’s non-food retail.

*The figure includes sales in Estonia.