From Quality to Correct Algorithms: How Belarusian Brands Strengthen Their Positions

Belarusian brands have recently become increasingly popular, ranging from construction materials to chocolate products. What helps them win the love of consumers and with the help of what project people can buy non-food products of domestic production - in the material of the correspondent of the agency "Minsk-Novosti".

For a long time, economists and analysts have wondered whether interest in domestic brands will be stable in the long run. The results of the recent expanded board of the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade put everything in place. The market has fully adapted, and manufacturers have learned to withstand serious competition.

The main topic of discussion was: “How to strengthen the position of our enterprises in the non-food segment?” The current results are the result of systematic work of recent years, the basis for which was the previously signed Agreement on Cooperation in the field of improving the efficiency of sales of domestically produced goods. This document today regulates the rules of the game not only on supermarket shelves, but also in the Internet space.

The most honest marker of trust in any product is how the ruble votes for it. According to the data presented at the Board, for the first half of 2026, the share of domestic goods in the retail turnover of the country amounted to 54.6%.

The position in the food sector is traditionally strong: the share of Belarusian goods is about 75% (three-quarters of food products in shopping baskets are domestically produced). In the non-food segment (clothing, appliances, cosmetics), the figures are still modest – almost 36%. But this is where the main economic intrigue unfolds.

- As of August 1,064 entities have already joined our agreement, Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Oleg Dikun commented. These are not only traditional retail chains, but also the largest marketplaces. We are increasingly involving Internet sites in the project "Skin spot - native, pile". Online stores are implementing verification and our products are now specifically labeled.

Algorithm competition

Today, the consumer market is moving dynamically to the Internet. Previously, it was difficult for the domestic manufacturer to break into the screens of smartphones: algorithms of large marketplaces and online discounters often brought imported products to the top. However, the agreement adopted by the department worked in full force in the digital environment.

Trading platforms reconfigure search algorithms so that our product is not lost on the back of sites, but was in sight of the buyer.

A vivid example of this visibility is the car market: due to localization of production and competent promotion (according to its programs), the share of Belgee / Geely cars in some months exceeds 70% of the total number of cars sold in the country. People see an available alternative, compare and choose their own.

220 million for comfort

But back to retail. Another powerful driver of demand is the state program “For native goods”. This is a case where pragmatism and state support converge. Loan at a lifting 4% per annum has become for many families a real chance to upgrade the house without a big blow to the budget.

Only in the first half of 2026, Belarusians took such loans for an impressive amount of 220.45 million BYN.

- We see a large flow of appeals, said O. Dikun at the board. The program has a positive impact on the share of domestic goods. This practice is planned to continue.

Initially, the project was conceived to support manufacturers of complex household appliances and furniture, but the government quickly expanded the list. Today, at a reduced rate, people purchase domestic tiles, plumbing, building materials, heating boilers and even prefabricated wooden houses. The list of partner manufacturers is constantly being updated, covering new factories and brands. In fact, the state provided citizens with affordable financial conditions for home improvement, and our factories received guaranteed orders, stable working capital and confidence in the future.

Chocolate response to imports

However, only marketing promotion and cheap loans are not enough. If the product is bad, they won’t buy it. An excellent example of restructuring to the needs of consumers showed domestic confectioners.

Previously, the segment of baby sweets on the shelves was dominated by transnational European giants. But when logistics became more complicated, and imports became predictably more expensive, Belarusian factories quickly carried out targeted import substitution. They studied the structure of demand and released portioned chocolate in the form of bars with milk filling.

The format is popular all over the world, but our manufacturers relied on an honest composition - natural cocoa butter, as well as the absence of cheap vegetable fats, which are often sinned by global corporations for the sake of savings. It's also a fair price. Parents quickly appreciated the advantages of the classic recipe, voting for the safety and quality of domestic products with the ruble.

Instead of a conclusion: pragmatic patriotism

Buying Belarusian goods today is not just a support of a local manufacturer, but a contribution to your own well-being. The logic is purely economic: the money left in the cash register for the domestic brand is returned in the form of wages, modernization of production and financing of the social sphere – from repairing roads to equipping hospitals and schools.

The government sets a clear task – by the end of the year to bring the share of domestic products in retail turnover to 58%.

Achieving this benchmark in an open market environment does not depend solely on the efforts of producers or trade. Ultimately, everything is decided by the consumer, who is required to make the right choice at the counter and consciously maintain stability in the country with his purchase.

Photo from the archive of the Minsk-Novosti agency