Food safety inspections win praise from Finnish vendors

A Yle investigation found that 14 percent of Finland’s ice cream kiosks received a “needs improvement” or “poor” rating in food hygiene inspections between 2024 and 2026.

Despite occasional shortcomings, vendors say the strict oversight is necessary. Tatu Wallenius, a serial entrepreneur in Tampere, called the system “good and essential,” even after his own kiosks were flagged in June for issues such as inadequate hot water access and staff training gaps. He said the problems have since been fixed, with a follow-up inspection pending.

Laura Tuomisto, who has run a kiosk in Sastamala for a decade, echoed the sentiment, calling Finland’s oversight “excellent” despite a recent poor rating for her own stand. She noted minor inconsistencies between inspectors but said she had never encountered unfair treatment.

Health inspector Anne Peräniitty acknowledged the system’s effectiveness but questioned whether inspections sometimes focus too heavily on minor details, risking a loss of perspective on overall food safety.

Finland consistently ranks at the top of global food security indices, including first place in the 2022 Global Food Security Index.