A supermarket in Salo, Finland has stopped including bakery items in its evening discount program. The S-market Plaza location made this change after customers began systematically exploiting the discount system. Shoppers would load their carts with fresh bakery goods hours before the discount period began. They then waited inside the store until the evening discount took effect.
The store manager described the situation as noticeable and growing. Certain customers arrived around 6 PM with empty carts. They filled them with large quantities of bakery products fresh from the oven. These customers then waited approximately two hours inside the store. At 8 PM, when the 60% discount activated, they purchased their selections.
This practice undermined the original purpose of the evening discount program. Finnish supermarkets commonly use evening discounts to reduce food waste. The system aims to sell products approaching their best-before dates at substantial discounts. This helps minimize the amount of unsold food that grocery stores must discard daily.
The bakery section had become the most popular attraction during evening discount hours. The store manager speculated that word had spread about the availability of freshly baked goods at deep discounts. This created an unsustainable situation where the bakery section was being cleared out early in the evening. Regular evening shoppers found limited selection despite the store's efforts to maintain availability.
The change took effect about one and a half weeks ago. Bakery items no longer qualify for the enhanced evening discount. Other discounted products like meat and packaged fish remain part of the program. The store now donates unsold bakery items to food aid organizations at closing time.
This situation reflects broader challenges in Finnish retail food waste reduction. Supermarkets walk a fine line between minimizing waste and maintaining fair access for all customers. When discount systems become too popular or systematically exploited, stores must adjust their approaches. The Salo case shows how well-intentioned sustainability measures can sometimes create unintended consequences that require policy adjustments.
Evening discounts remain an important tool for Finnish grocery stores managing daily inventory. The typical system works in two stages. Products first receive 30% discount stickers during the day. During the final opening hours, these items receive an additional discount bringing the total reduction to 60%. This system helps move products that might otherwise go unsold while offering budget-conscious shoppers substantial savings.
The store continues operating its own bakery with fresh products baked throughout the day. Customers can still purchase freshly baked bread and pastries at regular prices. The elimination of bakery items from the evening discount specifically targets the hoarding behavior that had developed. This ensures more customers can access fresh bakery products throughout evening shopping hours.