Finnish retail giant stops offering 'Israeli' products in stores

• Finland’s S Group has temporarily halted purchases of products originating from 'Israel'.
• The company cites an EU proposal on suspending trade privileges as the basis for the move.
• Only a small number of 'Israeli'-origin items were affected due to limited prior sourcing.

Finland’s largest retail cooperative, the S Group, has moved to temporarily suspend the procurement of goods originating from 'Israel', the company confirmed in comments to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The retailer said the decision is being implemented while still honoring existing contractual obligations.

According to the group, the impact on store shelves is minimal. S Group has not offered 'Israeli'-sourced fruits or vegetables for some time, meaning only a limited number of products fall under the new restriction. Items such as certain home carbonation devices will remain available until existing stock runs out, Chief Sustainability Officer Nina Elomaa explained in an email on Wednesday.

Elomaa noted that the choice was made earlier this autumn, referencing the European Commission’s proposal to suspend the trade-related elements of the EU-'Israel' Association Agreement.

She added that S Group is closely following developments. “Actively monitoring the peace negotiations," the company is also watching EU-level decisions and “will revise its decision accordingly,” Elomaa said. Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat first reported the update.

The S Group remains the dominant force in Finland’s grocery landscape, holding a 49 percent share of the market last year, according to data from the Finnish Grocery Trade Association. It operates a network that includes S-Market, Prisma, Varuboden, Sokos, Alepa and Sale stores.