Fireworks have traditionally been the centerpiece of New Year’s Eve parties in Finland, and many cities and municipalities organize their own shows.
This year, however, authorities across the country have decided to cancel the events and avoid large gatherings of people due to security concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The screens have been canceled in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Rovaniemi, as well as in many other cities.
In the metropolitan area, the Covid Coordination Group has also recommended that private citizens refrain from fireworks to avoid the risk of injury – thus creating unnecessary work for healthcare staff.
In Finland, about ten people a year are injured with poorly cared for fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
The dealer reports strong early sales
Despite cancellations and recommendations, CEO Antti Aitto-ditch Suomen Rakettitukku told Yle that it expects to increase sales to private buyers due to the lack of centralized, organized screenings.
"I believe consumer sales will grow this year," Aitto-ditch said and added that the busy first Sunday sales day was a strong indicator that demand could reach the 2017 record level.
"The good start to the first day of the sale can be explained by the fact that we have encouraged people to start buying well in advance. The first few days are usually the quietest, so there is a good chance to shop safely before the crowds gather," he added.
In previous years, the busiest day for the purchase of fireworks is New Year’s Eve.
According to the study, interest is declining
However, a study conducted by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) showed that only 13 percent of Finns planned to use fireworks for their New Year’s celebrations this year.
In a similar study conducted before New Yearโs Eve 2017, the figure was 25 percent.
The lack of demand is also reflected in the reduction in the number of outlets applying for the compulsory certificate required for the sale of fireworks.
Last year, 1,700 certificates were issued, but this year only 900 applications were received.
The Tukes study also found that some parents were planning to buy fireworks for children to use, which the agency reminded the public of as illegal, as only those over the age of 18 can use the devices.
In addition, only about a third of the respondents knew the times of fireworks use between Thursday, December 31 at 6:00 pm and Friday, January 1, at 2:00 am.
Source: The Nordic Page