Market fashion is no longer only bought by families with children in small towns, but increasingly also urban dwellers in large growth centers and single people buy clothes from Market.
Market fashion is growing in popularity. Finland’s largest operators S-rympa and Kesko report growing sales figures for supermarket fashion.
For example, sales of S-group clothing have increased by 15 percent compared to the time before the corona virus, i.e. 2019, says Prisma’s sales director Jonna Halme-Räsänen. During the first corona year, the number of clothing purchases naturally decreased, but after the pandemic, the average purchase on Prisma’s clothing side has instead increased by a quarter.
Also at Kesko, sales of market fashion increased by 14 percent in 2021 from the previous year, and now the same development has continued. This summer, sales of clothing have grown even more, he opens Hannele ÅbergKesko’s purchasing and sales director responsible for consumer goods.
The supply of market fashion has also expanded significantly, and more and more different products are bought from markets. Many people may already buy a party dress or work clothes in connection with their grocery shopping, and not just home and nightwear, even though their sales also increased significantly during the corona period.
Finns are now interested in market fashion
Both Kesko and the S group have noticed the popularity of certain clothes.
These clothes are bought the most in markets:
Dresses
Traditionally, Finns are a caprican nation, but especially in the summer, dresses also found their way into shopping carts at supermarkets.
– In the summer, sales of women’s summer dresses grew by more than 180 percent compared to the previous year, he says Hannele ÅbergKesko’s purchasing and sales director responsible for consumer goods.
Jeans and leggings
In the lower parts, jeans and leggings hold the top positions in the sales statistics. In men’s market fashion, chinos and jeans in particular are the best-selling product groups.
70 percent of all clothes sold in the world are black. The situation is said to be the same in Finland. Jeans colors come as a good second.
Tunics
Also different tops – especially colorful and patterned tunics – are enduring favorites year after year.
Sports and home clothes
According to Kesko, sports and outdoor clothing served as throw-in products for supermarket fashion during the corona, but during the same shopping trips, Finns ended up making other fashion purchases as well. College clothes were also among S Group’s best-selling products during the corona period.
Accessories and clothes that do not need to be adjusted
Among the best-selling products in markets are socks, beanies, underwear and t-shirts that can easily and without fitting be taken with you when grocery shopping.
With Corona, urban dwellers and single people also became interested in market fashion
A survey conducted by Kesko in the spring of 2020 showed that supermarket fashion was somewhat alienated in growth centers. Corona, however, changed this, and now the greatest growth has been seen precisely in Uusimaa and, for example, in Finland proper.
According to the research, it seems that city dwellers in particular bought clothes from the market. The same has also been noted for the S group: in small households, the purchase of Prisma market clothes has increased during the corona period, at the same time as it decreased in households with children and older age groups.
– We recognize this development very clearly. For a long time, the traditional supermarket fashion customer was a customer with families with children, but today, customers who are also aware and excited about new things and trends, such as young couples, singles and single people, also buy clothes. We have been able to surprise new customers and fulfill the expectations of old ones, says Åberg.
Along with the corona, the increased enthusiasm for market fashion is explained by the ease of purchase.
– Even before the pandemic, it could be seen that more relaxed dressing was a rising trend. This change gained further momentum as Finns moved from offices to remote work in their homes. The launch times of two of Prisma’s successful collections – Antti Tapan and Finlayson’s Arkism – happened right in the middle of the corona, when the demand for fashionable, casual products clearly picked up and Prisma’s clothing side was discovered by new customer groups, recalls Jonna Halme-Räsänen.
Market fashion of the future
Design specifically with the Finnish consumer in mind is also important in supermarket fashion. This means that when planning, the intended use, sizing, fit, quality, material and care instructions of the clothes are taken into account, and how these specifically serve the domestic market fashion clientele.
– K-Citymarket’s selection of clothing will continue to diversify, and in addition, its own brands will play a significant role in the future as well. We will invest in domestic partners and especially in the online store. Locality is an asset, Åberg rejoices.
Consumers of market fashion are also interested in environmental issues
Consumers’ interest in responsibility has grown to an increasing extent, also on the market fashion side. The materials and manufacturing processes of the products as well as the factories’ social responsibility processes are important and must be communicated transparently.
– Conscious consumption is on the rise: in the same way that vegetarianism has become more common as a food phenomenon, fashion and market fashion customers are paying even more attention to the responsible manufacturing methods of clothes these days, Åberg estimates.
A lot of chemicals are used in the textile industry, for example in dyes and finishing materials, and their environmental effects are considerable. However, the materials of the clothing industry are constantly developing, and the big changes of the future specifically concern innovative recycled materials. Market fashion also tries to make use of these.
– We also want to help our customers reduce their own environmental impact. We also never have clothes left for so-called waste: we sell everything we buy in, says Åberg.