Petersburgers buy fever clothes, household appliances and alcohol but they buy a lot of medicine.

Sergey Pavlov, contact man of “Eldorado” chain noticed:”Consumer behavior become more rational, people think before buying massive household appliances and they put off some part of purchases”. According to “Komkon”, in the first quarter of 2010 year, 45% of petersburgers saved money on massive household appliances- they bought not so many as usual and choose cheaper brands or withdraw from a purchase at all. Last year there were 39% such costumers. TGI interrogation was conduct among 550 livers which were sixteen plus in St. Petersburg.

Many customers begin to economize on clothes and footwear (refer to diagram). Alexander Greb, Ralf Ringer PR-director, confirms  that they economize on footwear of high price segment buying of which is not necessary, sales of everyday footwear of medium price level doesn’t change, because the reason for buying is run-out of previous shoes. In the beginning of 2010 year, his company, at a rough guess, pushed up sales on 16 %. Nevertheless, the manager says that some part of client again retuned to markets.

The worst fall of market was in 2009 year- on 30%. Today there is the tendency to improvement of sales, Arcady Pekarevsky, vice president of SELA Company is sure that people don’t economize on mass-market. The crisis has corrected plans of premium segment company. From the beginning of this year, in St. Petersburg, boutiques Versia, Bosco Sport and the shop of Italian footwear Geox was closed.
Petrostat calculated that, according to the first quarter, the turnover of retail chain fell off on 2,9% in comparison with the same period in 2009 year- about 161 milliard rubles, upon that sales of provision raised on 6%, and nonfood- fell off on 9%. Alcoholic drinks and bear wear affected by the crisis in a greater degree. Overall consumption of alcohol shortened after enactment of maximal price on vodka. Board chairman of Alcohol Producers Alliance Dmitry Dobrov says that share of the illegal market fell off, but legal production increased almost on 10% in the first quarter of 2010 year.

But, according to “Komkon”, most of people began to buy medicine- almost 65% of respondents against 50, 5% last year. Eugenie Bogdanov, general manager of OJSC “Farmacia” in 2009 year, prices on medicaments increased by one third, because of ruble devaluation, as a result, consumers refused to buy some expensive medicaments. In the first quarter of this year, according to his information, the demand fell off on 5-7%.

http://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/2010/05/24/235175