Take advantage of demand: online food sales are growing at the expense of regions

Only two of the ten largest retailers in the e-grocery segment were able to increase online food sales in the second quarter of 2026, Izvestia learned. The overall quarterly decline was 2.5%, but year-on-year sales still increased by 23.9%. Companies are finding growth points in regions where online commerce still retains the potential for expansion. Experts attribute this trend to unrealized consumer demand in small towns and the effect of a low base. How the segment of consumer goods is changing online — in the material of Izvestia.

How the online food trading market is changing

According to the results of the second quarter, the online food market (e-grocery) decreased by 2.5% compared to the previous quarter to 470 billion rubles, the analytical company Infoline estimated. In annual terms, sales, on the contrary, increased by 23.9%, and the share of online commerce in food turnover increased from 5.2% to 5.9%.

In monetary terms, X5 Digital (Pyaterochka Delivery, Perekrestok) has become the market leader — 101.3 billion rubles, according to the Infoline rating. Scooter came in second place with 80.5 billion rubles, followed by Magnit (the network of the same name, Dixie, and ABC of Taste) with 67.3 billion rubles. At the same time, Scooter (+3.9%) and Magnit (+3.1%) showed the highest quarterly dynamics, while sales at X5 Digital decreased by 1.7% over the same period.

Magnit's growth is due to the expansion of its product range, the development of delivery from darkstores and the personalization of discount offers, its representative told Izvestia. According to him, the additional demand was also stimulated by ready-made food. In the first half of the year, the total turnover of goods (GMV) of Magnit Delivery increased by 73% year-on-year, and the service itself became profitable, said a company representative.

In X5 Digital, the number of online orders in the first half of the year increased by 22.4% year-on-year, its representative said, and the express delivery service is already available from 11,000 stores in 75 regions. The revenue of the group's digital businesses for the same period amounted to 172.9 billion rubles (+25.8%), and the total GMV was 204.3 billion rubles (+28%), the source noted.

The growth dynamics of Scooter is due to the expansion of the product range, favorable price offers and improved service, said Tatiana Koroleva, commercial director of the service.

How companies are expanding their presence in the regions

The key factor in the growth of online food sales has been the active expansion of retail companies into the regions, according to a top manager of a large retail chain. Players continue to conquer new settlements, as well as seasonally expand the delivery area to suburbs and suburban villages, according to the Infoline report.

Companies that actively open new darkstores and decentralize supply logistics receive advantages, Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing partner of VMT Consult, agrees.

The fact is that there is still unrealized consumer demand in remote regions, adds a top manager of a large retail chain. According to him, in conditions of a low base, the development of logistics in such regions allows retailers to increase their presence. For example, Ozon Fresh launched delivery from compact darkstores in Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Nizhny Novgorod this year, and their number exceeded 380 at the end of the second quarter, Infoline estimated. According to analysts, Magnit already generates 83% of its current revenue outside Moscow and St. Petersburg.

At the same time, the dynamics of the largest players varied. For example, food sales at Wildberries in April –June decreased by 14.9% compared to January–March, to 40 billion rubles. This was the largest quarterly decline among the leading e-grocery market participants, according to the Infoline report. For comparison: at Ozon — by 1.3%, at Yandex. Lavka — by 4.3%, at Metro — by 2%, at Lenta and Auchan — by 5.8 and 5.6%, respectively. Izvestia sent a request to Wildberries.

This difference shows the specifics of the e-grocery market, said Alexey Fedorov, Chairman of the Council for the Development of Electronic Commerce at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI). According to him, the proximity of the goods to the buyer is critical for the sale of products, since the items need to be stored locally, the order must be assembled quickly, and delivery must be carried out within a short time.

Despite the expected slowdown, the market will continue to grow: according to Infoline's forecast, by the end of 2026, its volume will reach 2.03 trillion rubles, an increase of 25%. At the same time, further expansion of the audience will require retailers to make large investments in customer retention, and a slowdown in real income growth will increase price competition, Ekaterina Kosareva believes.

As the market develops, the benefits, breadth of the product range and convenience for the buyer will become increasingly important, Tatiana Koroleva added. A representative of Lenta noted that consumers have become more attentive to prices, increasingly choosing rational purchases and concentrating them on one or two sites, refusing to overpay for the service.