Under the influence of many factors, consumer behavior of Ukrainians has changed noticeably in recent years. According to a study by Gradus Research Plus, in 2026, some Ukrainians will switch to a more rational and cautious approach to spending, while others will try to maintain their usual level of consumption. At the same time, the demand for brands is changing: expectations and perception of advertising are increasingly correlated with the real context of life, daily challenges and emotional state of consumers.

Transformation of consumer habits

It is clear that the war has significantly changed not only the country’s economy, but also people’s daily consumer habits. Ukrainians have become more attentive to spending, differently assess the value of goods and services, and also perceive brand communication in a new way.

For businesses, this means the need to revise marketing strategies: classic promotion models no longer work equally effectively for all audiences. Brands need to consider the new psychology of consumption, the emotional state of people, and the real social context.

According to the results of the Gradus study, Ukrainians today are divided into four key segments, each of which has its own decision-making logic and approaches to consumption. Thus, 21% of the audience adheres to an accumulative behavior model: these consumers save, carefully plan expenses, and build reserves “for the future”.

At the same time, 27% choose a strategy of rational optimization – they also control expenses but do so without significant changes in their usual lifestyle.

Along with this, 23% of the surveyed Ukrainians belong to impulsive hedonists, who focus on emotions and pleasure “here and now”, without postponing life for later.

And 29% are respondents with a free consumption strategy: they are not inclined to save and strive to maintain the usual level of spending, despite external circumstances.

Behavioral models

It is worth noting that none of the segments is dominant. Consumer patterns are distributed approximately evenly, without creating a strong bias in any of the strategies.

For example, “Hoarders” are cautious about spending, seek security, and plan purchases in advance. But “Rational Optimizers” control the budget but are not ready to completely change their usual lifestyle. While “Impulsive Hedonists” make decisions emotionally, focusing on pleasure and comfort “here and now”. And “Free Consumers” are not at all inclined to austerity, seeking to maintain the usual level of consumption.

For brands, this means the need for personalized marketing strategies instead of universal advertising messages. The behavior of Ukrainians can also be described through a conventional pyramid of needs, which reflects the logic of choosing products and brands. Pragmatism wins: price, discounts, and special offers remain key triggers for choice. The second level is formed by convenience and care: a simple customer journey, ready-made solutions, and time savings. A third of consumers pay attention to emotionality and empathy: they expect honest, open communication and positive emotions from interacting with a brand. A quarter of those surveyed expect support for people, the country and social initiatives.

Advertising as close communication

In 2026, brands compete not only for attention, but also for trust. Consumers expect not just advertising, but real benefits and relevant communication. What works better: a clear price offer; honest promotions and transparent discounts; a convenient customer journey; saving the customer’s time; simple and human communication; social responsibility without artificial pathos; supporting positive emotions without disconnecting from reality.

What works worse: excessively “glossy” advertising; idealized images without connection to real life; aggressive sales without empathy; formal social responsibility without real actions.

Consumers want to see positive in advertising, not disconnected from reality Against the backdrop of the war, Ukrainians have become much more sensitive to the tone and content of communications. They react sharply to insincerity and inappropriateness, expecting brands to understand the context in which society lives.

In particular, only 9% of consumers positively perceive advertising with an “idealized” picture of life. Instead, messages that combine the positive with reality — without ignoring complex topics and daily challenges — become relevant.

Thus, the demand for brands today can be formulated as a need for “good news from the real world” — communication that supports, but does not break away from reality. The Ukrainian consumer already lives in a new reality: on the one hand, more pragmatic and price-sensitive, on the other — with a clear need for small pleasures that help keep themselves resourceful and not postpone life for later.

In this logic, the role of the brand is also changing: its importance does not disappear, but the consumer is looking for it in a new, comfortable price category for himself. For brands, this means a new challenge — to remain relevant not through an image, but through an accurate fit into the context of a person’s life.

Forecast – safety and trust are a priority

In recent years, the consumer habits of Ukrainians have become much more pragmatic: more than 70% of buyers compare prices before buying; most consumers have become more attentive to promotions and loyalty programs; only 9% positively perceive advertising with an overly “ideal” life. Almost every fourth person expects brands to have a social position and support for the country; the emotional value of a purchase increasingly competes with functional benefit.

This means that today a brand must sell not only a product, but also a sense of security, clarity and trust.

About the study:

The study was conducted by Gradus using the self-completed questionnaire method in the Gradus mobile application. The sample reflects the population structure of cities with more than 50 thousand residents aged 18–60 by gender, age, size of the settlement and region, with the exception of temporarily occupied territories and territories of active hostilities.

Field period: March 23-24, 2026. Sample size: 1000 respondents.

Source: https://marketer.ua