Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, 99% of retail outlets have resumed operations, with only 210 stores remaining closed among those that have ceased operations since February 24, 2022. The Association of Retailers of Ukraine (RAU) reports this, Ukrinform says.
"According to the data of the latest survey of retail chains (RAU members) after 16 months, 16,725 out of 16,935 retail outlets in the entire industry are already working. The percentage of operating outlets is 99%. Only 1% are closed", the message states.
RAU emphasizes that in March of last year, almost a third of retail outlets (29%) did not work. Now only 210 retail outlets remain closed out of 4,481 that previously stopped their work.
The number of open retail outlets increased by 28% in 16 months. In different areas of trade, this process went differently. But the recovery of trade outlets continues in all segments without exception.
Among grocery chains, by the end of 2022, 95% of the pre-war number of stores (4,913 outlets) were already operating. In six months of the current year, food chains launched an additional 4% of stores, reaching the mark of 5,170 operating markets.
Non-food retail shows better recovery rates than grocery chains in 2023. Thus, as of June, the number of operating non-food retail stores reached 3,340, surpassing pre-war indicators by 3%, or by 93 stores.
Pharmacy chains became another trade sector that quickly restored the number of working outlets and exceeded pre-war indicators. Thus, by the end of 2022, pharmacy chains topped the pre-war number of retail outlets by 19 units. In December 2022, 3,815 pharmacies were operating against 3,796 before Russia's war. As of June 2023, 4,157 points are already operating, which is 10% (+361 pharmacies) more than by February 24, 2022.
Year to date, banks have issued 12,700 loans worth UAH 44.7 billion ($1.2 billion) to businesses under the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program. According to the program, the enterprises operating in the fields of agriculture (53%), trade and production (24%), and industrial processing (13%) are most often credited.
