The data points to a recovery in consumer activity after a marked slowdown in 2025, when the market remained under pressure from weak demand and inflationary factors.
Last year, inflation-adjusted Ukrainian retail growth amounted to about 6%, which was the lowest in the last three years. Weaker dynamics was recorded only in 2022, when the market sagged by 21%.
The main slowdown in 2025 was in non-food retail, a segment that traditionally forms a significant part of the turnover.
The situation in the industry remained heterogeneous.
The most dramatic changes are observed in the non-food sector. In the first nine months of 2025, Rozetka’s sales decreased by 1%, compared to 15% growth in 2024; Epicenter’s sales grew by only 3%, compared to 10% in 2024. Low-cost chain Aurora showed revenue growth of about 30%, but this result is largely due to the expansion of the network. The company noted that the dynamics in the already operating stores was weaker.
Experts attribute the slowdown in 2025 to a combination of factors – inflationary pressure, changes in the structure of consumption and uneven recovery of household incomes.
The current growth in early 2026 may reflect the effect of a low base and gradual stabilization of consumer demand. At the same time, the recovery structure remains heterogeneous – some segments are growing due to network expansion rather than organic demand.
