Ukrainians have already started preparing for winter: which foods and appliances are they buying the most?
18 August 19:16
Amid regular, heavy shelling and warnings of a harsh winter, Ukrainians are actively preparing for power outages. However, according to analytical data from the “Epicenter” retail chain, it is still too early to speak of widespread or panic-driven preparations for winter, writes "Komersant Ukrainian".
As the retail chain notes, no significant shift in consumer behavior has been observed following the recent heavy shelling , and sales trends remain stable. The increase in demand is sporadic, particularly in basic food categories—grains, flour, oil, and canned goods.
More noticeable trends are observed in products related to energy self-sufficiency. Between August 3 and 9, sales of power banks rose by 44%, and sales of charging stations by 28%. However, these figures do not indicate panic buying of energy-related products by Ukrainians.
“So far, we haven’t seen a rush that could be described as mass preparation for winter. The energy independence category traditionally reacts more sharply to periods of large-scale power outages. Demand for backup power products remains consistently high and is growing year over year, which more accurately reflects Ukrainians’ gradual adaptation to the conditions of war and regular power outages. At the same time, over the past few seasons, consumers have gained significant practical experience using such solutions. This is already reflected in their choice of equipment: buyers are gradually switching to more powerful models and selecting equipment specifications that better match their needs,” noted Dmytro Tanko, Director of Retail at “Epicenter.”
In addition, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are showing a significant increase in sales—263% compared to last year.
Backup power kits based on hybrid inverters and batteries with a capacity of 5 kW or more have shown a 120% increase in sales compared to last year. Due to the high cost of the equipment, there has been no surge in demand among “Epicenter’s” retail customers.
The largest surge in retail demand for such kits is usually recorded during prolonged power outages and blackouts. At the same time, in the non-cash segment, sales of inverters and batteries continue to grow steadily. Small and medium-sized businesses, which are investing in their own energy independence, remain the primary buyers.
Currently, there is no shortage of backup power equipment, and prices have not changed significantly compared to last year.
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