Polish value retailer Pepco is preparing to enter Ukraine, with its first stores expected to open in October 2026. The company is negotiating with shopping centers and sees an opportunity in affordable home goods, décor and everyday products while IKEA remains absent from the market.
First locations are being negotiated
Potential sites include the Port City mall in Lutsk, the second phase of Podolyany in Ternopil and locations in Kyiv. Pepco goods are already available in a stock format in Lutsk, while the parties discuss a full store. The Ternopil opening is linked to the planned launch of the mall expansion on 15 October.
Competition will be broader than IKEA
Pepco acknowledges that its furniture range is smaller than IKEA’s, but both brands serve price-sensitive consumers. The company will also compete with Polish groups already expanding in Ukraine, including LPP with Sinsay and other fashion brands, and Modivo with CCC, HalfPrice and Worldbox.
The scale of Pepco’s home market shows its ambitions. The chain operates more than 1,400 stores in Poland, compared with roughly 600 to 650 Sinsay locations. In Romania, Pepco has more than 530 stores, around twice the footprint of Sinsay.
A signal for the Ukrainian retail market
The arrival of another large European retailer indicates that international companies are again assessing Ukrainian consumer demand and commercial real estate. The pace of expansion will depend on security, logistics, suitable premises and household purchasing power, but the planned entry can create jobs, increase competition and support shopping-center occupancy.
