The Largest Growth in Pharmacy Chains: What the Retail Study Revealed

Author

Nataliia Kaplan

The Ukrainian Retail Association has prepared its annual report on the state of the retail industry. In 2024, the net increase in new stores amounted to 2,230 retail outlets, 45% of which were pharmacies. summarizes which regions and retail segments are thriving, and who the leaders are in each of them.

Pharmacy Retail

Pharmacy chains are the fastest-growing segment, now accounting for 36% of all retail outlets across various industries. As of 2024, there were 8,565 pharmacies operating in Ukraine, with 1,395 opened during the year—more than any other segment. Only 202 pharmacies closed, resulting in a net increase of 1,193.

Most pharmacies are concentrated in major cities: the capital region (1,839), Dnipro (825), Lviv (731), Kharkiv (618), and Odesa (404). Five major players dominate new openings: Podorozhnyk, 9-1-1, ANC, Bazhaemo Zdorovia, and Apteka 3I.

As of early 2025, the Podorozhnyk chain operated 2,188 pharmacies, making it Ukraine’s largest pharmacy retailer. In 2024, it opened 435 new locations, 53 of which were in new towns and villages. The network’s estimated 2024 turnover reached ₴30.9 billion—₴6.8 billion (+22%) more than in 2023. Private label products now account for over 10% of its assortment.

In 2024, the number of pharmacies grew the most in the retail sector. Source: depositphotos

Non-Food Retail

Non-food retail accounts for 4,328 stores—about 20% of all outlets across eight segments. The sector opened 675 new stores over the year but also saw 248 closures (up from 189 in 2023).

Most stores are located in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Lviv—together holding 1,676 stores (39% of the segment). Odesa (263) and Kharkiv (249) complete the top five.

Leading the segment is the Avrora chain, which opened 360 new stores in 2024. As of early 2025, Avrora operated 1,615 stores in Ukraine and 30 in Romania. Its turnover for 2024 reached ₴38.5 billion (excluding VAT), with ₴6.4 billion paid in taxes. Poltava's local budget benefited the most, receiving ₴199.6 million in taxes.

Food Retail

Food retail makes up nearly 22% of Ukraine’s retail landscape. By December 2024, there were 5,119 food stores, from hypermarkets to convenience stores. The net increase was 310 stores, after accounting for 189 closures.

Kyiv and its region lead with 1,542 stores. Lviv follows with 538, and Dnipropetrovsk ranks third with 365. Odesa and Kirovohrad round out the top five.

Mashket, a rebranded "Domashniy Market," was the fastest-growing chain, expanding to nearly 70 stores across six regions. It opened 67 new locations in 2024, half of them franchised, with plans for 100 more in 2025.

However, ATB remains the undisputed leader with 1,257 stores as of early 2025. It added 47 stores in 2024, reaching an estimated turnover of ₴248.3 billion (+₴32.6 billion or +15% year-over-year).

Food stores account for 22% of all retail in Ukraine. Source: UNIAN

Electronics & Appliance Retail

As of December 2024, Ukraine had 1,942 electronics and appliance stores. Over the year, 138 stores were opened or reopened, while 84 were closed—a net increase of 54.

Kyiv leads with 400 stores, followed by Lviv (180) and Dnipro (174). Lviv and Kharkiv saw declines, with Kharkiv losing seven stores for every one opened.

Over half of new stores belong to five chains: Kybernetyky, Allo, Yabluka, Lifecell, and Moyo. Kybernetyky opened 23 new stores in 2024, including a flagship 1,272 sq.m. store in Kyiv's Lavina Mall.

Fashion Retail

The fashion sector—clothing, footwear, and accessories—has recovered well after the full-scale invasion. By December 2024, there were 841 stores, up by 164 (212 opened, 48 closed).

Kyiv dominates with 291 stores—3–5 times more than Lviv (105), Dnipro (73), and Odesa (59). Kharkiv had the most closures (14), resulting in negative growth.

The strongest growth occurred in Volyn and Ivano-Frankivsk, each adding 10 stores. Key players include Sinsay, Sezon, Adidas, Colin’s, and Solmar.

Sinsay is the most dynamic, reinvesting all profits. It opened 122 stores in 2024, including 4 redesigned to feature men’s, kids’, and home goods sections. The total area of new stores was 107,852 sq.m. By year-end, the chain had 171 stores and expanded to over 50 towns.

A new Sinsay store even opened in Kharkiv’s Nikolsky Mall parking area, operating during air raid alerts.

The clothing and footwear retail sector is returning to pre-war levels. Source: depositphotos

Jewelry Retail

Jewelry retail has bounced back well. As of December 2024, there were 903 stores, a net gain of 43 (93 opened, 50 closed).

A fifth of stores are in the capital region (203), with Dnipro (96) and Lviv (74) next. Other top regions include Odesa and Kharkiv. Only Kyiv, its region, and Kharkiv showed strong growth. Volyn, Vinnytsia, and Khmelnytskyi also saw notable increases.

Fuel Retail

Fuel station growth nearly plateaued in 2024, reaching 1,815 active stations—just 26 more than in 2023 (with one closure). The limited expansion reflects the industry's nature and low benefit of increasing density on main roads.

Kyiv region leads with 328 stations, double the number in Lviv (199) and Dnipro (162). Odesa (149) and Zakarpattia (99) also have high concentrations.

Growth mainly occurred along the Dnipro River corridor—Kyiv, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia—and in western regions.

OKKO, one of the major players, opened eight new stations, including two in Kyiv region and others in Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, and near Zhytomyr.

In 2024, OKKO Group companies paid ₴21.1 billion in taxes and contributions, ₴5.6 billion (+36%) more than in 2023.

DIY and Building Materials Retail

The DIY segment was the slowest-growing in 2024, with 17 new stores and 12 closures—net gain: 5. There are now 132 such stores in Ukraine.

Due to the high investment required and the large format, expansion is slow. These stores also remain targets for attacks.

A quarter of all DIY stores are in the capital region (33). Lviv (17) and Volyn (11) follow. The west generally sees higher concentration, while numbers drop significantly heading east. Even in larger cities like Dnipro, Odesa, and Kharkiv, store numbers are decreasing.

Other key regions include Ivano-Frankivsk (10 stores) and Rivne (8), with Zakarpattia and Dnipro each having six stores.