The Finnish megastore chain Prisma began selling plate carriers in their online webshop at the end of September. The plate carriers sold out quickly due to limited stock. However, Prisma does not sell the ballistic plates required for a vest to be bulletproof.
Mikko Oikari, Director of Category Management at Prisma’s parent company, S-ryhmä, stated to Helsingin Sanomat that the decision came from increased demand from sport shooters. The plate carries are targeted at hunters and SRA-shooters. SRA is an action shooting sport developed in Finland that focuses on military combat scenarios. It gives reservists an opportunity to practice weapons handling skills.
The growing availability of of tactical equipment in mainstream retail stores reflects the popularity of shooting sports and reservist training in Finland. According to RATA Academy, membership numbers in the Finnish Sport Shooting Federation has been growing by around 5-8% each year since the early 2020s. Participation in practical shooting disciplines, such as SRA, has doubled in the past decade, increasing the demand of tactical equipment.
According to Oikari, the decision to sell plate carriers came from the company’s online research on high-demand sporting gear, rather than requests directly from customers. He stated that the plate carrier stock is currently in its experimental phase, and has made no comment regarding specific quantities sold. Tatonka, a German company specializing in tactical gear, produced the carriers.
On top of plate carriers, Prisma’s combat equipment section includes tactical belts, rifle and pistol magazine pouches, medical pouches, as well as hearing protection and safety glasses.
