Finland - Domestic trade

Domestic trade is carried on through the customary wholesale and retail channels. Wholesale trade is concentrated in the following groups: the Finnish Wholesalers and Importers Association and its customers; Kesko, a central marketing association controlled by rural retailers; the cooperative wholesalers SOK and OTK; producer cooperative wholesalers such as Valio and Hankkija; and specialized wholesalers such as the Central Federation of Technical Wholesalers, an association of importers.

Office hours are from 8 AM to 4:30 PM , Mondays through Fridays; government offices are open from 8 AM to 4 PM (3 PM in summer). Stores and shops are open from 9 AM to 6 PM , Monday through Friday, and 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday. Summer hours are a little shorter.

There is growing acceptance of modern advertising techniques. Television advertising is sold by a state-licensed company; there is no commercial radio. Advertising of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages is prohibited, and promotion of food products, vitamins, and pharmaceuticals is strictly supervised.