Russian authorities have commenced rebranding supermarkets that are located in occupied territories of Ukraine, Forbes has reported.
According to the news portal, Russian forces have seized former ATB supermarkets in locations such as Nova Kakhovka, Berdyansk, Melitopol and Kherson, bringing in new checkout systems in order to enable the stores to trade in rubles.
An ATB spokesperson told Forbes that around 100 of the group's outlets are situated in what are now occupied territories. A recent photo on social media showed a former ATB outlet in Melitopol now trading under the 'Mera' banner.
Silpo Stores In Occupied Territories
Elsewhere, Fozzy Group, which operates the Silpo chain, said that some 17 Silpo stores and three Thrash! discounter outlets are located in occupied territories, with some now closed, and others either looted or destroyed.
The group has estimated its losses at around UAH 2.8 billion (€90 million), a figure that includes lost or destroyed stores, looted products, and damage to its warehouses and production network.
According to a Kherson resident that Forbes spoke to, prices in the former Silpo outlet are now close to twice as high as they were before the war started.
Looting is also an increasing problem, it reported, with would-be thieves seeking out local workers that have not yet left occupied territories, in order to gain access to shops.
Read More: Mondelēz To Reopen War-Damaged Potato-Chip Plant In Ukraine
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
