In mid-April 2026, X5 Group, Russia's leading food retail company (operating Pyaterochka, Perekrestok, and Chizhik), presented its preliminary consolidated operational results for the first quarter of the current year. The retailer's total revenue grew by 11.3% year-on-year, reaching 1.19 trillion rubles. Despite steady double-digit growth, the actual pace was lower than the previous quarter (+14.9%) and fell slightly short of the management's stated target range for 2026 (12–16%).

Like-for-like (LFL) sales growth was 6.1%. By format, the hard discounter chain Chizhik remained the leader in growth rates, with its net revenue jumping by 29.8% to 116.8 billion rubles. Pyaterochka's revenue increased by 9.9% (to 913.1 billion rubles), and Perekrestok supermarkets saw a 6.8% rise (to 141.9 billion rubles). Separately, the retailer highlighted the strong dynamics of its digital businesses (Vprok.ru online delivery and express delivery), whose revenue grew by 26.6%, amounting to 89.7 billion rubles (7.5% of total sales). During the quarter, X5 opened 348 new stores, increasing its total selling space by 8% year-on-year.

Retailchina.pro Expert Commentary: The slowdown in revenue growth of Russia's largest retailer indicates the stabilization of the consumer market and the high base of the previous year. However, the structure of this growth is highly indicative for foreign suppliers: the outstripping dynamics of Chizhik hard discounters (+29.8%) and online delivery (+26.6%) confirm that Russian shoppers are simultaneously seeking maximum savings on their basic basket and the convenience of digital services. For Chinese FMCG manufacturers, this means a need to differentiate their offerings: supplying entry-price goods in large packaging for discounters while simultaneously introducing impulse and new categories into the rapid online delivery segment.