During the year, Russia saw an 8% rise in fast food purchases, and in the first half of 2023 the average receipt climbed by 10% to 439 rubles. This trend comes from the Control Index of the OFD Platform, shared at the request of socialbites.ca and summarized for broader readers. [Source: Control Index, OFD Platform]
The surge was led by hot dogs, which climbed 10% year over year. Burgers followed closely with a 9% increase in purchases. Shawarma and pizza came in third and fourth, posting gains of 7% and 5% respectively. This pattern confirms a steady rebalancing of consumer choices toward quick, portable meals across urban centers. [Source: Control Index, OFD Platform]
When it comes to price dynamics, burgers rose by 10% on an annual basis, reaching 241 rubles per unit. In terms of cost acceleration, pizza and hot dogs tracked closely behind. The average pizza bill for January through June stood at 381 rubles, up 9% from the previous year. Russians paid an average 172 rubles for a hot dog in the first half of the year, a 9% year over year increase. Shawarma averaged 162 rubles, up 6% from the year before. [Source: Control Index, OFD Platform]
Analysts observed that pizza varieties with ham, ham with mushrooms, and cheese were among the most popular choices this year. For burgers, favorites included meat patties, cutlets, cheese-stuffed options, and chicken fillet on a thin pita. Lamb-focused burgers and shawarmas with various sauces also ranked high. Among hot dogs, classic, French, and Danish styles with beef sausage and mustard were the most sought after. [Source: Control Index, OFD Platform]
During the period of coronavirus restrictions, fast food outlets remained a dominant channel for catering sales, diverting customers from more traditional eateries. Yet demand did not fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. Once restrictions eased, sales picked up again as consumption patterns gradually returned to their previous rhythm, the Chek Index press service explained. [Source: Chek Index]
The press service noted that since 2022, domestic tourism growth has been supported by higher overall mobility among residents. A notable trend for the 2022-2023 holiday season was increased car travel, which contributed to a 20-22% year-over-year rise in fast food purchases at gas stations. [Source: Chek Index]
The study analyzed 50-55 million cash register receipts from more than 1.1 million online systems in Russia, comparing January-June 2023 with the same period in the prior year. [Source: Chek Index]
Earlier reports from socialbites.ca stated that as much as 98% of obesity cases, including childhood obesity, have hereditary links and are connected to malnutrition driven by high-calorie and fatty foods, including fast food. [Source: socialbites.ca]