News about Retail & HoReCa
The beauty industry has found a new audience where no one has looked before – in the Formula 1 paddock. While motorsport has been associated for decades with oil giants, watch brands and energy companies, Sephora, Charlotte Tilbury and LVMH have all hit the tracks in 2026. The reason is simple: women have become one of the fastest growing segments of the championship’s audience.
Customers in Moldova this spring are increasingly choosing not specialized sports equipment, but universal clothing and footwear that are suitable for city, travel, office and training at the same time. Against this background, Adidas is strengthening its position in the lifestyle-fashion segment, where demand is growing faster than in the classic performance sport segment.
Shares of European luxury brands rose sharply amid forecasts of a possible settlement of the conflict in the Middle East. Investors are betting on the recovery of tourism and the return of demand from wealthy buyers.
American cosmetics concern Estée Lauder is expanding its personnel optimization program: the company plans to cut about 3 thousand additional jobs. Together with the previously announced layoffs, the total number of reductions will reach approximately 10 thousand employees.
In an interview with our portal, entrepreneur Mircea Baciu spoke about a real opportunity that would allow Moldova to significantly increase its exports – through the use of international online trading platforms.
On May 6, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova organized, on the platform of the Sectoral Entrepreneurship Committee, a public-private dialogue on the regulation of sugar production and import and the search for balanced solutions for the entire value chain in this sector.
The first cherries have appeared in Romanian retailers. The price per kilogram is 80-100 RON/kg.
Danish jewelry brand Pandora reported first quarter results that exceeded analysts’ expectations despite weakening demand in its key market, North America.
French luxury conglomerate LVMH is exploring the sale of a number of fashion houses, cosmetics brands and alcohol assets amid slowing demand for luxury goods.
Italian fashion house Prada ended the first quarter of 2026 with revenue growth of 3% in comparable exchange rates, despite mixed performance in key markets. Total group revenue amounted to 1.4 billion euros (about $1.64 billion), which was in line with Visible Alpha analysts’ expectations.
The counterfeiting market continues to expand and is becoming faster and more flexible. This is the conclusion reached by Entrupy, a company specializing in AI-authenticated goods, in its annual State of the Fake 2026 report. According to the study, in 2025, 8.1% of all verified products were found to be counterfeit.
Limited trade markups have not been applied to a line of goods (13 commodity items) included in the List of socially important goods (or essential goods) since April 30. The reason is that the Regulation on the order of formation of retail prices for essential goods has become invalid.
In 2026, interest in flat nectarines is noticeably increasing both on the part of buyers and growers. According to breeding companies, the flat nectarine is rapidly moving out of the niche segment: in European market players, it already accounts for about 10% of sales of planting material. The growing interest is not only due to the unusual shape of the fruit, but also due to the improved taste, productivity and commercial attractiveness of new varieties.
EuroCucina – Technology For the Kitchen, one of the world’s main platforms for kitchen design and home appliances, was held in Milan. The Moldovan team of the Bomba chain was invited to the exhibition by Beko, with which the chain works as an official partner. Maxim Ghilca, Commercial Director of Bomba, spoke about where the market is heading and what retailers can expect in the coming years.
Sphera Franchise Group opened the first Taco Bell restaurant in the Republic of Moldova.
The growing convergence between fashion and Formula One continues to gain momentum, with brands increasingly using the Miami race weekend as a cultural platform. As the sport increases its influence on the style and entertainment industry, fashion brands are turning the Miami event into a platform to communicate with consumers through localized stories and limited edition collections.
Despite the strong wind on Sunday, April 26, the traditional half-marathon took place in Chisinau, bringing together thousands of participants from all over the country and abroad.
Gucci is bringing back one of the most recognizable looks of the 90s – the silk shirt that became a symbol of the era of minimalism with a touch of glamour. The new version of the piece has already appeared in the brand’s current lineup and is priced at around £1,100, confirming that archival hits can still work for the modern market.
Adidas Factory Store opens in Port Mall in Chisinau: this is an event not only for sports retail, but also for the entire retail industry of the country. This is not just the launch of a new outlet, but the introduction of a fundamentally different retail model, which has not been used in Moldova before.
Global apparel brands are faced with the fact that they now have to pay more for the customer. This is a direct factor that is changing the marketing budgets of companies around the world.
