Shopping in Ukraine

Ukrainians are fond of shopping especially when new items of clothes and shoes appear in the stores. Some shopping centers in Ukraine will make you hold your breath. You can always find something you are looking for and even more among a huge selection of designed and hand-made clothes, items of ornamental-applied art, things made of wood and pictures.

Honestly, goods of folk-crafts are the best purchase in Ukraine. You can buy high-quality pictures, ceramics and jewels at a decent price. Some interesting markets function in the country where you can find lots of good things at a good price. Also, fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese and eggs and the most beautiful flowers can be purchased at informal markets across the country.

Top 3 gifts/souvenirs from Ukraine:

• Horilka (Vodka)
• Caviar
• Bulava (mace)

Where to do shopping

Wherever you go you will see many stores with lots of goods to buy: clothes, footwear of world brands, jewellery and other nice and useful things. Many shopping centers with various departments - leather, gold, drugs - are concentrated in many cities. People benefit from this marketing innovation: in fact they can purchase everything they wish and spend some time in recreation spots such as skating-rinks, entertainment grounds for adults and children, coffee-shops and pizza houses.

Gift or souvenir shops which have a wide variety of Ukrainian symbolic goods at different prices attract tourists’ attention.

Top 5 Ukrainian brands:

• Voronin – International concern “VORONIN” is a successful business in making high quality clothes, the company is among world leaders of garment industry. Shopping network includes 80 manufacturer’s stores in different countries – Ukraine, America, Europe, Russia, NIS (countries of the former Soviet Union - Newly Independent States).
• VD One – designing and modeling of the best samples of men’s clothes.
• Pocket Book – production of electronic books.
• Svitoch – the best brand, manufacture of chocolate and sweets.
• Inkerman – the best wine making.

When to do shopping

Stores and shopping centers work seven days a week and their working hours are 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Many shopping centers especially in the cities work till 9 p.m. and in some cases even later. Supermarkets, where foodstuff and beverages are sold, work till 10-11 p.m.; still others are open 24 hours. Supermarkets with a varied stock of home appliances work till 7-8 p.m. Vendors (kiosks) are very popular across the country; they offer flowers, cigarette, beer, wine and soft drinks day and night.

Payment

Official national currency – hrivni – is used all over the country, but there are some agencies where European currency or US dollar is accepted. Payments are made both in cash and on account. Automatic tellers can be of help in case you need a certain amount of money in particular currency.

Markets

An integral part of the Ukrainian life is markets. Everything can be bought there: foodstuff, clothes and you name it. In most cases prices will be lower than those in the stores.