Average receipts in food retail have fallen while order frequency has grown
Amid heightened security risks, Ukrainian companies are revising marketing budgets to focus on tools with an immediate impact on sales. At the same time, consumers are becoming more cautious, building financial reserves, and showing less brand loyalty. This was reported by Economichna Pravda citing Gradus, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The study surveyed chief marketing officers and top executives of Ukrainian and international companies across retail, FMCG, banking, telecoms, digital platforms, agribusiness, automotive, fuel retail, entertainment, and consulting. The research was conducted in September and October 2026.
Ahead of the winter season, the corporate sector is scrutinising the efficiency of marketing investments more strictly. Businesses are cutting spending on long-term brand campaigns, redirecting funds into channels that directly drive turnover and generate revenue.
Impact of Product Availability on Brand Loyalty
Consumer behaviour currently depends heavily on physical product availability on store shelves. In cases of supply chain disruptions, shoppers easily switch to competing products if their preferred brand is missing. Strong brands with exceptional loyalty remain the only exception.
Traditional price incentives only work when stock is consistently available. Where supply is constrained, boosting demand further creates excessive strain on company supply chains.
Shift in Consumer Basket Structure
Ukrainians are currently striving to build savings and cut non-essential spending. In grocery retail, this has led to smaller average receipts alongside an increased frequency of store visits.
Purchases of clothing, footwear, home appliances, and housing renovations are losing priority, particularly in eastern regions. Emotional shopping has shifted toward cheaper categories: during intense shelling, sales of sweets and small snacks tend to rise.
Transformation of Business Operational Models
The market is experiencing wave-like demand, where periods of stockpiling are followed by temporary sales dips. Furthermore, the main bottleneck for many sectors is no longer insufficient demand, but the ability to deliver goods amid infrastructure damage and operational disruptions.
In response, businesses are reshaping their supply chains by moving away from large centralised warehouses to distributed logistics, increasing buffer stocks, and revising media plans every few weeks.
Photo: Economichna Pravda
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