A study of the current state and development prospects of retail trade in Ukraine and its entities

This article presents a comprehensive study of the current state and characteristics of the competitive environment in Ukraine’s retail market amid the complex economic and political conditions caused by the full-scale war and global transformations. The relevance of the topic stems from the profound structural and functional changes taking place in the industry due to globalization, the active adoption of digital technologies, and challenges associated with military conflict. The aim of the study is to conduct a systematic analysis of the structure and dynamics of retail trade in Ukraine, identify key development trends, assess the competitive environment, and explore the operational features of leading Ukrainian retailers in the current context, including their use of digital marketing tools. A combination of general scientific and specific research methods was applied, including comparative analysis, analytical generalization, and graphical representation of statistical data. The competitive positions of major retail intermediaries in Ukraine were analyzed based on income and profit indicators. Key factors influencing the competitiveness of retail trade participants were identified. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in its systematic approach to analyzing Ukraine’s retail market in light of recent developments–namely, the war, economic instability, digital transformation, shifts in consumer behavior, the growth of e-commerce, and regional shifts in trade activity. Particular attention is given to the adaptation strategies of market leaders such as ATB, Silpo, and Avrora, which demonstrate diverse business approaches. Their websites and social media activity were also analyzed. The practical significance of the results of the study is manifested in the possibility of applying the obtained conclusions to increase the efficiency of the functioning of Ukrainian retail enterprises, their use of modern marketing approaches, as well as optimization of customer service taking into account changes in the structure of market demand.