The analysis was presented during the FMCG & Retail Channels Conference, which gathered about 400 Moldovan retailers. The research was conducted on a sample of 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 70. According to the results, consumer behavior in Moldova is influenced by three factors: price growth, digital transformation and the influence of communities and influencers.
“Conscious shopping” in the Moldovan way
The dominant indicator is price growth. The survey showed that 48% of the urban population faces financial difficulties and 44% of households spend more than 50% of monthly income on food (14 percentage points more than in 2025).
In these conditions, 79% of consumers are starting to save money. Thus, 43% look for brands with discounts. Another 31% completely abandon certain categories of goods.
Despite the fact that price is still the main criterion for choosing a product, there is a growing interest in the price-quality ratio. A more noticeable trend is “conscious shopping”: consumers analyze labels, buy only what they need, and look for products with a healthier composition. Particular attention is paid to labels such as “low in sugar”, “trans fat free”, “high in protein”, “fiber-rich” or “preservative-free”.
Digitalization influences shopping
At the same time, Moldovan shoppers are becoming more demanding of product innovations. Some 53% are looking for clear benefits of such products, 50% consider only new packaging insufficient, and 25% prefer familiar ingredients. Innovative products are rejected if the price is too high, the origin is unclear or the product does not inspire confidence.
The impact of digitalization of shopping is growing. Over 60% of consumers shop online: that’s three times more than in 2019. Decisions are often driven by online reviews, social media posts, price comparison sites or by artificial intelligence tools.
In terms of information sources, the internet leads the way with a 54% lead. It is followed by outdoor advertising (44%), in-store communication (34%) and television (33%). Influencers are influential in 20% of cases, especially among young people.
The most popular platforms among Moldovan shoppers are YouTube (78%), Viber (75%) and Facebook (73%).
Interesting fact: the study showed that social approval and community influence play an increasingly important role in the purchase decision-making process.
