Carriers in Finland suspend sales of Xiaomi phones

Xiaomi could be facing troubles selling its devices in Finland, a report by Suomimobiili revealed. The three major carriers, Telia, DNA, and Elisa, are suspending sales of the Chinese company in response to the brand's presence in Russia after the beginning of the war in Ukraine last year.

On the other hand, retailers Gigantti and Verkkokauppa stated that since the EU does not ban Xiaomi, they will continue to sell products until further notice.

Xiaomi was declared as an “international sponsor of war” by the National Agency of Corruption Prevention in Ukraine earlier this year because of its active presence in Russia. Dissatisfaction with Xiaomi's operations in Finland's neighbor to the east led Telia to give up cooperation with the phone maker and not sell new devices; it will only sell ones in stock.

DNA stores don't have Xiaomi phones on display anymore, and the carrier confirmed its stance against the brand. DNA CEO Sami Aavikko told Suomimobiili that the company is not satisfied with Xiaomi's handling of the situation in Russia, and plans are not to replenish stocks once the current devices sell out.

Elisa took a milder approach and will narrow down its range of Xiaomi devices, said Olli-Pekka Nokkonen, Director of Consumer Device Business at the carrier.

Retailer Veikon Kone was the first to withhold sales of Xiaomi phones in the summer but later reversed its decision after the competition declined to follow suit. However, it is not planning to add new models to its stores. Xiaomi representatives decided to remain silent on the matter.

The Nordic country has been having anti-Russian sentiments for over a century and was even on the receiving end of an invasion in 1939, similar to the one in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. According to a poll from last year, three-quarters (76%) of the Finnish population have a negative view of Russia, and over 90% believe Russia is a threat to world peace.

Source (in Finnish)