Food Aid in Finland is seeing unprecedented demand in 2024, while the supply of available food is shrinking, according to a new report by the national food assistance platform Ruoka-apu.fi. Families with children, young people, and immigrants, including those who fled the war in Ukraine, are turning to food aid in growing numbers as rising living costs and unemployment put pressure on households.
The Ruoka-avun tilannekatsaus report published this week found that 73 percent of food aid providers observed an increase in demand. At the same time, 63 percent reported a decline in surplus and waste food from supermarkets. Some of the shortfall has been partially offset by school and central kitchen leftovers, but the overall quality and variety of available food has deteriorated.
Laura Kumpuniemi, project manager at Ruoka-apu.fi, said that the increase in demand is linked to cuts in social security, higher unemployment, and rising living costs. She added that food aid providers are facing serious concern as they witness acute need on a daily basis. Volunteers remain essential to keeping food aid operations running, with over 6,600 volunteers helping deliver food across the country in 2024. Yet uncertainty over funding and changes to subsidised employment threaten the sustainability of these services.
The role of Finland’s new regional wellbeing services varies depending on location. In some areas, collaboration with food aid networks is strong, while in others financial support has dropped and employment opportunities for food aid workers have decreased. Beyond providing grocery bags, food aid also creates spaces for human contact, peer support, and a sense of community. Many recipients rely on food aid not only for nutrition but for social connection. The findings highlight a broader shift in the role of food aid, which is increasingly becoming a permanent part of Finland’s social safety net, reflecting its growing importance in the lives of vulnerable groups.
