K-group stores lead in food safety violations, investigation finds

A Yle investigation has found that K-group stores in Finland have more than three times as many food safety and hygiene violations as their main competitor, S-group.

According to municipal food safety inspection reports obtained by Yle, 7% of K-group inspections in 2025 found issues with temperature control and hygiene for fresh products, compared to just 2% for S-group. The situation has worsened year by year over the past three years.

In one case, a K-market in Kuortane sold sliced meats at 14°C for months. At the award-winning fish counter of K-Citymarket Sello in Espoo, temperatures reached 8–10°C for products like shellfish and squid salad that should be stored at a maximum of 3°C.

Lidl was the only chain with virtually no violations in 2025, partly because its stores do not have open fresh food counters like fish or meat sections.

Kesko, which supports K-group stores, acknowledged the decline in results but could not explain the exact causes. “K-stores are independent businesses, so this isn’t as straightforward as if they were our own operations,” said Marita Hätönen, Kesko’s head of self-monitoring support and development.

At Sello’s K-Citymarket, the fish counter manager attributed last year’s issues to a malfunctioning cooling system, which has since been repaired.