Card payments to vendors in recreation and culture increased in July–September 2025

In the third quarter of 2025, payments made by customers using Finnish payment cards totalled EUR 20.5 billion, which was EUR 943 million (4.8%) more than in the corresponding period a year earlier.  By industry, the growth was mainly explained by three industries: recreation and culture, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and miscellaneous goods and services. Card payments to vendors in the recreation and culture industry totalled EUR 2.2 billion in July–September, which was EUR 245 million or 13% more than a year earlier. Correspondingly, card payments to vendors of food and non-alcoholic beverages were EUR 297 million higher, i.e. 5% more than a year earlier.

86% of customers’ payments went to five industries. Of the payments, 29% was used for food and non-alcoholic beverages, 20% for miscellaneous goods and services[1], 15% for transport, 11% for restaurants and hotels, and 11% for recreation and culture. Card payments are categorised according to the vendor's industry, rather than the contents of a given purchase. This may partly explain the large share of grocery stores, as other types of goods are often bought from grocery stores as well. Customers purchased food and non-alcoholic beverages for a total of EUR 5.9 billion in the third quarter of 2025, which was 5.4% more than in the corresponding period a year earlier. Customers paid a total of EUR 4.1 billion for miscellaneous goods and services, i.e. EUR 297 million more than in the corresponding period a year earlier.

In two industries, the aggregate value of card payments declined in July–September 2025. Customers paid a total of EUR 308 million to vendors of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, which was EUR 8 million less (-2.4%) than in the third quarter a year earlier. A total of EUR 317 million was paid by card to vendors in the housing, water, electricity and other fuels industry, which was EUR 5 million less (-1.5%) than in the corresponding period a year earlier.

Some of the figures discussed in this news release have been published in the payment statistics dashboard.

The next quarterly news release on payment statistics will be published at 10 a.m. on 5 March 2026.

Further information

• Usva Topo, tel. +358 9 183 2056, email: usva.topo(at)bof.fi.
• Olli Tuomikoski, tel. +358 9 183 2925, email: olli.tuomikoski(at)bof.fi.

[1] The COICOP classification has a total of 13 industry categories and one for payments with the industry unspecified. More information on the classification is available on Statistics Finland's website.