Finnish businesses warn of economic threat from Chinese e-commerce

Finnish business leaders are warning of a serious economic threat posed by the rapid growth of Chinese e-commerce platforms, such as Temu. Jukka Kurttila, business director at Finlayson and a proponent of the 'Krääsätalous kuriin' citizen initiative, describes the situation as a trade war that requires a defensive stance from Finland.

Concerns center on the competitive disadvantage faced by domestic companies due to differing tax treatments and marketing regulations. The Confederation of Finnish Commerce previously estimated that Finland lost between 100 and 300 million euros in tax revenue last year due to shopping from Chinese retailers.

While a new customs rule implemented in July removed tax exemptions for shipments under 150 euros and introduced a three-euro duty per item, Kurttila maintains that the situation remains critical. He notes that trade policy has become an active tool of geopolitical warfare, similar to strategies seen in broader international relations.