The most popular products bought at Helsinki Airport in 2016 were coffee, water and chocolate.
A total of three million cups of coffee was consumed at the airport during the year.
A total of three million cups of coffee was consumed at the airport during the year, equalling more than 8,000 cups a day. The number of coffee cups enjoyed at the airport increased by roughly a million from 2015.
More than one million water bottles were bought. In addition, tens of thousands of water bottles were filled at the free water bottle filling stations installed at the airport in summer 2016.
Chocolate is a popular souvenir and snack enjoyed during the flight. People bought more than 200,000 kg of chocolate at Helsinki Airport last year, that is, roughly 550 kg per day.
Other hit products in 2016 were books, Moomin mugs and rye bread.
The most enthusiastic shoppers come from China
The Chinese are the biggest spenders at Helsinki Airport.
- The flow of Chinese passengers to Finland has increased, which is clearly shown by airport shopping statistics. Shopping, making tax free purchases in particular, is an important way for Chinese passengers to spend time at the airport, says Elena Stenholm, Commercial Director at Helsinki Airport, Finavia.
The most popular product groups among Chinese passengers include cosmetics, jewellery, watches and fashion, European luxury brands in particular. Finnish products are popular souvenirs.
- Finnish health products, like berry powders and fish oils, are popular, as the Chinese appreciate the clean air and nature of Finland, Stenholm continues.
Aiming for excellent customer experience
In recent years, Finavia has fully modernised the range of shops and restaurants at Helsinki Airport. Currently, there are 70 new or modernised shops, cafés and restaurants at the airport.
- In addition to Finnish service providers, there are now a number of international companies that have brought tens of millions of Euros of foreign capital to Finland. Currently, some 60 companies offering their services directly to passengers are operating at Helsinki Airport, Stenholm says.
Helsinki Airport was chosen by Condé Nast Traveller readers among the top 10 airports in the world.
Finavia aims to respond to the wishes of its customers by selecting service providers that understand the significance quality has on the customer experience and are ready to develop their services.
When it comes to the range of cafés and restaurants at Helsinki Airport, passengers run more often into Finnish ingredients, freshly baked bread at the airport bakery and cooperation with small-scale Finnish producers.
In 2016, Finavia opened free water bottle filling stations and vending machines that sell water bottles at EUR 1 at the airport.
- Assisted by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, we are conducting a regular quality survey, benchmarking our operations with other major airports in Europe. Our commercial services are doing well. Furthermore, customer satisfaction at Helsinki Airport improved steadily in recent years, Stenholm says.
In 2016, passengers nominated Helsinki Airport the best airport in Northern Europe. In addition, Helsinki Airport was chosen by Condé Nast Traveller readers among the top 10 airports in the world.
Cups of coffee support Finnish airport infrastructure
Air traffic is the only mode of transport that receives no support from taxpayers. The Finnish airport infrastructure is financed with Finavia’s profits, which accumulate from airline charges and services sold to travellers.
- In practice, cups of coffee and sandwiches bought by passengers at Helsinki Airport finance development projects of Finnish airports and secure high-quality airport services that support flight connections, around the country, Stenholm says.
More than 47,000 passengers, i.e. the full capacity of the Olympic Stadium, fly every day via Helsinki Airport. In 2016, the passenger volume exceeded 17 million for the first time. Over half of the passengers come outside Finland.
Read more about airports as shopping locations
What did people buy at Helsinki Airport in 2016?
- 3,000,000 cups of coffee
- 1,000,000 water bottles
- 200,000 kg of chocolate
- 120,000 books
- 45,000 bags of rye bread
- 20,000 Moomin mugs
