Retail under attack: how Ukrainian chains reformatted logistics, business model and personnel policy (continued)
IA “FACT” already wrote, that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian retail has radically transformed: hypermarkets have lost their relevance, and small formats have come to the fore: minimarkets, shops “close to home”, mobile sales points and online trade. This is due to security threats, changes in logistics, population movements and the need for flexibility.
The most successful chains, first of all, ATB, Fozzy Group or Aurora, rebuilt logistics into local hubs, invested in autonomous energy supply, rapid opening of stores, omnichannel and digital infrastructure. Among the leaders are not those who have the most areas, but those who can work under fire, without light, with fast delivery.
The market not only survived, but also grew: in 2023, the turnover reached UAH 1.54 trillion, exceeding the pre-war level. But behind this there are huge costs – for generators, security, new logistics. At the same time, retail has changed corporate culture: companies focus on retaining staff, creating flexible conditions, psychological support, and training. Despite the loss, the networks are actively opening new points in the frontline regions, using mobile warehouses, dark stores, satellite Internet and armored trucks. All this is not just an adaptation, but a transition to a new model of survival and responsibility during war.
Basket under fire: what and how Ukrainians buy during the war
The war did not just destroy the infrastructure – it destroyed the habit of buying “for the future”, “for pleasure”, “for yourself”. Instead, the consumer basket of Ukrainians pond a mirror of survival. But not cold, mechanical, but adaptive, emotional, deeply human. This is not just a set of products. This is a story about priorities, fears, values and hope.
The first in the growth trend were long-term storage products: cereals, pasta, canned goods, which was expected. But something else became unexpected: more and more often products of own brands appeared on the shelves – cheaper, but proven. People began to buy not by inertia, but by cold calculation. More and more often, our compatriots choose “not promotional, but economical, not imported, but native”.
Yes, private label products are available in the Varus network steel absolute leaders in terms of sales growth. As with Fozzy, own brands already have more than 20% share in some categories.
Against the background of savings, another track is observed – emotional purchases. Ukrainians en masse buy up sweets, tea, coffee, sausages, pastries, even if it is more expensive. As the marketing director of ATB explains, “the war did not cancel the desire for taste and habits – especially those associated with home.”
Sausage and biscuits are now bought more often than in the pre-war years. This is not a rational action, but an emotional compensation: “I’m alive. And I can afford something familiar.”
War created new ethics of consumption. Ukrainians stopped chasing imports. Partly due to logistics, but largely due to values. According to “Rozetka” and OLX analytics, 2 out of 3 buyers choose local Ukrainian brands, even if they are more expensive.
Retailers adjusted. Silpo launched new lines of Ukrainian cheeses, Novus bet on local groceries, Varus on craft products from producers from Zaporizhzhia, Poltava region and Vinnytsia region. Local has become not only fashionable, but also safe, accessible and authentic.
Support programs are a separate story. Humanitarian kits, food cards, discounts for veterans and IDPs steel not PR, but the new norm. For example, Caritas Ukraine distributed more than 20,000 food packages in the South and East in 2023 alone. Mondelez and Nestlé donated hundreds of tons of products to charitable foundations. And the “Aurora” network created whole social baskets with a limited margin.
Today, the consumer basket is a diagnosis of the times. It has everything: fear for tomorrow, fatigue from worries, a burning desire to maintain control over something familiar. Ukrainians don’t just buy cereals and sausage. They buy confidence, a familiar taste, the ability to plan at least a few days ahead.
And that is why trading business is not just a money circulation channel. It is a psychological rear, support, reflection of our new identity – one that is based not on brands, but on principles.
Online platforms: not an “app”, but a “point of sale”
Today’s retail in Ukraine is being transformed under the pressure of the war and changes in consumer behavior — the mobile application is turning from a convenient tool into the main channel of interaction with the client. Varus, EVA, Silpo and Rozetka are building a single ecosystem: from online catalogs to omnichannel experience — ordering in the app and picking up in the store has become the norm. This approach allows you to retain the client and provide convenience in unstable times when working remotely is better than going to the shopping center rau.ua.
The network is active are implemented Scan&Go technology — scan goods, pay in the app, bypass the cash register. At Varus, this technology is already available in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih — currently in the capital are working more than dozens of points. Service “does shopping as comfortable as possible” and minimizes queues.
It’s not just a technological quirk, but a way to adapt to a war where staff are cut and the shopping experience needs to be fast and secure.
Systems with computer vision, sensors and behavior analysis allow the store to analyze the movement of goods, detect theft and optimize the assortment. This technology is already working in foreign pilots, such as in the German Decathlon or the Polish Kaufland.
Ukrainian networks are not far behind: Varus integrates AI systems into demand and behavior analytics: this allows for personalized offers and transparent inventory planning. Similarly, AI is now being activated in demand forecasting — inventory management, pricing are becoming not intuitive, but based on data modeled by algorithms.
Even in an ordinary Varus, you can enter the future: SM self-service cash registers, mobile application – everything works in unison. According to the companies, by the end of the year the share of checks through Scan&Go at Varus and Novus will increase to 35-40%.
Foreign examples prove, that autonomous stores are not a fantasy, but an investment: AI, cameras, sensors recognize what you bought and automatically collect payment at the exit (Amazon Go, Trigo at Tesco works according to the same scheme).
When buying is an act of trust: what Ukrainians expect from a brand during the war
The consumer has become more demanding. According to Gradus Research, 62% of Ukrainians consider brand is important when choosing a product. However, this loyalty is not blind. This is weighted trust: 3/4 plan purchases, and only one in four impulse purchases.
On the other hand, 65% choose cheaper alternatives, although the preference for Ukrainian brands increased to 74%. This means that the brand has to prove its own value not only by quality, but also by affordability.
Ukrainians pay attention to the position of the brand in the war. According to a survey by Kantar (2023), 62% want advertising that acknowledges the war and supports the country, but does not use it for speculation. Limited communication is a lost opportunity for the brand to show itself.
They call the respect of customers of companies that support the Armed Forces or VPO. According to EVA, 44% of buyers take into account exactly such actions of the brand when choosing a product. And if just a year ago, patriotic symbolism was ahead of advertising, now sincerity and understanding of the context are more important.
Ukrainians today choose shop not for discounts, but for a sense of security. The convenience of the location, the ability to quickly manage to buy during an emergency are more important than low prices. 48% buy at usual places, 41% are ready to choose closer points even with a smaller assortment.
Stores with lights during a blackout, strong doors, accessible means of communication impressed consumers more than profitable promotions. This has become a key criterion for loyalty.
Tetyana Viktorova
