Russian supermarkets starting to empty out; food crisis causes protests among population

Major grocery retailers have begun reducing their product selection in Russia. By mid-summer, the number of food products had decreased by 2.4%. As for non-food products, their availability has decreased by 2% compared to the same periods in 2024, according to Kommersant, citing an investigation by the Nielsen research firm.
The largest declines were observed in the alcohol, children’s products, and facial care products sectors, with declines of 5.5%, 5.1%, and 7.4%, respectively.
Retail market representatives attributed this trend to a reduction in retail space due to high rent and changing consumer habits among Russians, forcing retailers to cater to demand and stock only the most popular items.
Representatives of X5 Group, owner of the Pyaterochka and Perekrestok chains, reported that since the start of the special operation in Ukraine, the product range in their stores has decreased by a significant 15-20% on average. This summer, the company’s divisions began switching to smaller retail pavilions, launching Perekrestok Select: each store is approximately 400 square meters, three times smaller than the chain’s standard supermarkets.
Magnit has taken similar steps, opening ultra-convenience stores under the new brand "Zaryad ot Magnita", each measuring just 100 square meters. Lenta supermarket has already confirmed its commitment to downsizing and optimization: only the most popular products are being kept on the shelves, and the freed-up space is being used for outside business projects and rentals. Furthermore, the chain’s new hypermarkets are significantly smaller than those the company previously opened.
According to preliminary estimates, in the first seven months of this year, the average retailer’s grocery store space shrank by 0.8%, to 315 square meters. Supermarkets have now reached the point where they can draw conclusions about the success of previously launched brands, and with limited space for product placement, they are eliminating those that didn’t survive the crisis. The food crisis, which is already becoming apparent, is causing anxiety and protests among the population.
Recall, as major producers and exporters of agricultural commodities, Russia and Ukraine play critical roles in the global staple food supply. They export more than 54% of globally traded wheat, barley, and oats1. A number of countries, including some with vulnerable food availability, heavily rely on imports from these two countries. For instance, the shares of wheat imported from Ukraine by Egypt and Lebanon are 85% and 81% of their total wheat imports2. The war between Russia and Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, has raised serious concerns about Russa’s crop production and global food shortages.