Staff in some K-Supermarkets have noticed that people are hoarding salmon at the outlets' salad bars.
Food inflation, specifically the recent uptick in fish prices, is likely behind the phenomenon, as shoppers seek cheaper ways to acquire the Finnish cuisine staple.
Although the overall rate of inflation is showing signs of slowing down, fish and coffee prices have recently begun to rise again. In many places, the price of salmon has approached 30 euros per kilogramme.
At the K-Supermarket in Kamppi, Helsinki, for instance, shoppers can buy salmon at the fish counter at the price of 24.95 euros per kilo. In comparison, the price at the salad bar is 17.90 euros per kilo.
"You can see that people come to the salad bar and just pile up salmon and leave without even trying to add salad. One day I saw a gentleman who I had to point this out to. He filled his box with all the fish from the bar and took nothing else," Kamppi K-Supermarket fishmonger Pinja Kemppainen told Yle.
Kemppainen added that certain outlets have resorted to removing salmon from their salad bar selection due to excessive hoarding.
"The only option is to stop selling it altogether if you can't control it. Many shops have reportedly already made that decision. That's why a lot of people come to us, because we still have salmon," she said.
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