Big data analysis as a tool for analyzing the market of reindeer products made in the North of Russia

Reindeer products have become an integral element of the culture of indigenous peoples in the Arctic region, playing a significant role in human adaptation to extreme climatic conditions. This study investigated the online sales offerings of reindeer products to identify the Far North regions in Russia that most actively use information and communication technologies to promote their products in the domestic regional and interregional markets. It also aimed to analyze the range of traditional Arctic food products. The research methodology drew on the theoretical approaches of the spatial economics by A. G. Granberg and the free trade theory by P. R. Krugman. Methods for analyzing big data based on social media data mining were applied. The study utilized messages on the Internet related to the sale of reindeer products in Russia’s Far North regions in 2021–2022. The novelty of this study lies in the implementation of big data collection and analysis methods. It required adapting the PolyAnalyst platform to the needs of a specific research field and improving the analysis methodology. The analysis of online sales offerings revealed the most active Arctic regions: the Murmansk region, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Komi Republic, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The growing interest in the Arctic has contributed to the formation of a wide range of ready-made dishes and venison processing methods, also becoming a catalyst for growth in Arctic food tourism. This creates important conditions for the economic growth of rural Arctic territories. Online platforms expand opportunities for Arctic ethnic entrepreneurship by overcoming the relative isolation of Arctic economic systems and providing a venue for selling products on the Internet. Consequently, future research prospects involve using big data analysis of the reindeer husbandry market to develop measures for managing the sales of reindeer products.