More than half of Russians, about 60%, express satisfaction with the clothing and accessories offered by new brands stepping in after the retreat or reduced presence of companies from Iran, CIS countries, Turkey, China, Korea, and even Russia itself. This insight comes from a MoneyMan online lending service survey conducted through socialbites.ca. The study asked participants whether they view the products of these new brands as a high-quality alternative to those that have disappeared from the Russian market as a whole.
Only 34% of respondents feel dissatisfaction with the clothing and accessories from new brands, while the remainder were unsure or declined to answer. In contrast, more than seven in ten respondents, 71%, report satisfaction with home appliances and electronics from new brands, with 22% expressing disagreement and the rest remaining silent on the question.
The research notes that consumers most favor white goods and electronic products. The popularity appears tied to the broad availability of Chinese brands and the favorable price-to-quality ratio they offer. In the apparel segment, the trend seems linked to the influx of fashion brands from Southwest Asia, notably Turkey and Iran, which broadened the market choices for Russian shoppers.
In the furniture category, opinions skewed toward dissatisfaction, with 52% of respondents preferring established brands and 37% expressing approval of the new brands. About 11% were unsure.
In cosmetics and perfumery, views were nearly balanced: 39% reported satisfaction with new products, while 40% were dissatisfied, and the remainder did not answer the question.
When it came to automobiles, 15% of participants were not satisfied with cars from new brands, whereas 12% felt positively about them. An important note from the researchers was that a large portion of respondents, 73%, found it difficult to answer this question. This hesitation is attributed to the high cost of vehicles in this segment, which prevented many from testing them in practice.
The survey was conducted from July 1 to July 10, 2023, with 3,000 participants aged 18 and older across Russia. The findings reflect a snapshot of consumer sentiment during a period of market realignment as brands from various regions entered the Russian consumer landscape and competed with existing local labels.
In a related observation, some sources indicate that Kazakhstan has invited companies that are departing Russia to refocus their regional strategies, signaling a broader shift in the regional consumer goods ecosystem and potential opportunities for new entrants in nearby markets.