Where Ukrainians Spend Their Cashback and How Payouts Have Changed: Sobolev Explains the Mechanism
24 May 04:06
The government has extended the “National Cashback” program for another two years. During the program’s run, Ukrainians have primarily used the payments they received to pay for utilities. This was reported by Oleksiy Sobolev , Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, to RBC-Ukraine, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
He explained that the decision to extend the program was made due to the expiration of the relevant government resolutions, as well as the noticeable economic impact of the program.
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According to a Mastercard study, 41% of program participants began purchasing Ukrainian-made goods more frequently. At the same time, retail chains report a 7–9% increase in sales of domestic products.
The minister noted that the program also has social significance, as most of its users are families with incomes of up to 40,000 hryvnias.
“70% of the cashback funds are spent on utilities. The rest goes toward Ukrainian goods or services; all funds remain in the economy,” Sobolev said.
As of today, approximately 1,500 stores and retail chains have joined the program—including both large national retailers and regional outlets. To participate, businesses must operate under the general taxation system, accept cashless payments, and issue fiscal receipts. The government emphasizes that this also helps combat the shadow economy.
In 2026, the cashback mechanism was updated to support Ukrainian producers in competing with imports. For product categories where the share of imported goods exceeds 35%, the cashback rate was increased to 15%. This applies to most non-food items and certain food products, particularly hard cheeses.
At the same time, for sectors where Ukrainian producers already have a strong market position, the cashback rate was reduced to 5%.
According to the minister, thanks to these changes, the government has managed to reduce program spending by approximately 100 million hryvnias per month. Currently, funding the “National Cashback” program costs the budget about 450 million hryvnias per month.
Separately, Sobolev also mentioned the fuel cashback. According to him, the state spends about 20 million hryvnias daily on these payments, so for now, it has been extended only until the end of May.
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