News about Retail & HoReCa
Moldova introduces new rules for labeling food products: now merchants are obliged to indicate the country of origin of goods. The corresponding amendments to the Law on Internal Trade were adopted by the Parliament this week.
In the travel industry, artificial intelligence is emerging as a key channel, jeopardizing the position of online travel agencies (OTAs).
Mars announced the appointment of Alkis Geralis as Mars Wrigley market director for Romania and Moldova, effective April 1. In this role, Geralis will be responsible for the development of some of Mars Wrigley’s most popular brands, including Snickers, Twix, M&M’s and Orbit.
Italian antitrust authority Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) has opened an investigation against Booking.com, questioning one of the platform’s key mechanisms – the hotel ranking system.
A Japanese doctor, who came to Moldova four years ago to help Ukrainian refugees, abruptly changed the profile of his activity and now sells onigiri in our country. This is a Japanese dish made of fresh rice molded in the form of a triangle or a ball. Usually onigiri is filled with filling and wrapped in a sheet of dried nori seaweed.
France’s restaurant industry is facing a dramatic shift in demand: traditional establishments are closing and the market is shifting towards delivery and low-cost formats.
Radu Savopol, the founder of the Romanian chain of 5 to go coffee shops operating in Moldova, launches a new business – a chain of establishments called Atelier Matcha.
US PepsiCo has reported a worrying trend: demand for snacks and carbonated drinks is starting to decline. Even despite a strong start to the year, the company warns that a drop in turnover is inevitable.
Tips for waiters and couriers can be received through the MIA system. More and more workers in the service sector are connecting this service, which allows them to receive instant transfers by QR code without commission.
Over the last five years, prices in Poland have markedly approached the prices of the EU countries with the most developed level of economy. Five years ago, living in Poland was 45% cheaper than in Germany, but this difference is decreasing year by year. According to Eurostat, in 2025 Poland will continue to catch up with the more expensive EU countries in terms of price level, although the growth rate has slowed down slightly.
Prices for Easter baked goods in Moldova in 2026 increased from 5% to 30%. At the same time, retailers forecast sales of over 3.5 thousand tons of Easter products, Logos Press reports.
Hotel Zarya is planned to be privatized through an auction with an increased rate.
The next season of Moldovan Brands Runway, held in Chisinau in spring 2026, was not just a showcase of new collections, but an indicator of a deeper transformation. It is about the transition from a model in which Moldova acted mainly as a production platform for foreign brands to building its own design ecosystem.
On the eve of Easter week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) reminded Moldovans of food patriotism and urged to “Buy good things at home” – for Easter and all year round.
The European Union is increasing pressure on the fashion industry: from July 19, 2026, a ban on the destruction of unsold clothes, shoes and accessories will come into force. The new rules oblige large companies not to dispose of leftover collections through incineration or landfill, but to look for more sustainable solutions – recycling, reuse or resale. The initiative is a response to the growing environmental burden posed by mass production of clothing.
Meta is strengthening its strategy of developing WhatsApp as a key channel for brands to interact with consumers, gradually moving the messenger beyond personal communication. The platform, which has billions of users worldwide, is increasingly integrated into companies’ marketing and CRM strategies, offering a more direct and personalized communication format.
Kiev has received the third place in Europe by the number of purchased Bentley. Only dealerships in Padua and Rotterdam were ahead of the Ukrainian capital.
The 5 to go coffee chain started selling franchises in the Republic of Moldova.
H&M continues its retail transformation amid changes in the fashion industry and consumer behavior. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the company recorded a decline in revenue while announcing plans to further reduce its offline presence.
The VAT rate applicable to the HoReCa sector during the state of emergency declared by Parliament on Tuesday will not change.
