Finland’s Social Insurance Institution (Kela) has unveiled the 2025 edition of its iconic Maternity Package (äitiyspakkaus), marking subtle but significant changes in one of the Nordic region’s best-known family support initiatives. Most notably, condoms and lubricant have been removed from the package after decades of inclusion.
Fewer items, higher quality amid inflation pressures
The total cost of the box remains fixed at 170 euros since 2018, despite ongoing inflation. According to Kela’s designer Anniina Kuokka, this financial constraint has resulted in fewer items overall, but with improved “quality and versatility.”
“There aren’t as many products, but we have aimed to improve their quality and versatility,” Kuokka explained. The 2025 package contains 39 items, down from previous years.
Kela clarified that no companies submitted bids to supply condoms or lubricant, despite formal requests, leading to their exclusion. This marks the first time these two long-standing components are absent.
Adjustable clothing and returning favourites
This year’s design theme leans on a soft colour palette featuring bunny motifs. A returning favourite, the baby blanket, has been reintroduced. Moreover, adjustable crotches in bodysuits have been included, a feature requested by parents to extend usability as babies grow.
The box’s pattern was created by Heli Hyppönen, and all items were selected through a competitive bidding process. Due to EU procurement regulations, Finnish-made products cannot be prioritised, though much of the textile production already occurs abroad.
Parents still prefer the box over cash
The maternity grant in Finland can be taken either as the baby box or as a cash alternative of the same value. In 2024, 62% of recipients chose the package, with the proportion rising to 82% among first-time mothers.
Kela plans to keep adapting the box to parental feedback and emerging needs, underscoring its role not only as a practical support tool but also a cultural symbol of Finnish parenthood.
A legacy since 1938 with global influence
Introduced in 1938, the Maternity Package was initially available only to low-income families. Since 1949, it has been universally accessible, regardless of income, cementing its place in Finland’s egalitarian welfare system.
While its Finnish name remains unchanged, a 2018 Kela survey of 30,000 people revealed rising interest in more inclusive alternatives like “Baby Package” or “Family Package”. Nonetheless, the institution confirmed that the term äitiyspakkaus will be retained.
The concept has gained international recognition, with adaptations of the Finnish baby box model appearing in parts of Africa and Asia, and becoming a touchstone in global conversations on early childhood welfare.
