Supermarket sleepover for cool customers

Whether you love or hate the heatwave, for some people the sticky, hot nights can prove difficult for getting a good night's sleep.

Record temperatures have been recorded across Europe, and in Finland, where many apartments have no air conditioning, the community spirit has helped keep some residents cool.

When a supermarket manager in the country's capital, Helsinki, heard her customers joking about spending the night in the coolness of her store it got her thinking.

Marika Lindfors opened the doors on Saturday to 100 lucky K-Supermarket customers in Phjois-Haaga, who were allowed to bring along their sleeping bags and mattresses for the night.

The video of families settling down to a night in the crisps aisle has since been viewed more than 327k times on the supermarket's Facebook page.

Snacks and beer were available to buy until 9pm.

One customer, Riikka Manninen, described the experience as "like coming to camp."

Since the sleepover, a version with subtitles in English which appeared on the K-group retailers Twitter page has also been gaining traction.

Whilst manager Marika said she was glad to make it happen, there were some disappointed applicants as more than 100 people put in a request to stay over.

Speaking to Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, she said security and hygiene issues were settled, since Food Safety Regulator, Evira, gave the event the thumbs up.

The company pointed out that the best ideas come from the customers. Arts activist David Yoken simply tweeted #ILoveFinland.

There has been speculation about whether this could take off in other countries.

In the Czech Republic, Liunekira posted on Reddit that it was an amazing idea and would go immediately if there was one nearby.

Sleeping on retail premises is not exactly a new thing. UK department store John Lewis has offered overnight stays at 'The Residence' in selected stores, where customers slept in a fully furnished setting of products available to buy.

Swedish furniture retailer, Ikea, urged teenagers to stop creeping into its stores and having illegal sleepovers, in 2016,

In 2014, an American tourist almost had a sleepover at a London branch of Waterstones bookshop when he was locked in the store after it had closed.

Fortunately for some people across Europe, the heatwave is beginning to subside and sleeping arrangements can return to normal.