Operating expenses of the ATB chain associated with diesel diesel gensets increased ninefold in June compared to April, the retailer's press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

"Operating retail facilities with generators is 2-3 times more expensive [depending on the power of the diesel genset]. The issue of installing electricity storage systems and electricity imports is now in the process of study and discussion," the company's press service reported.

As of July 15, 2024, there are 1,228 ATB chain stores operating throughout the country, 1,219 of which are equipped with stationary diesel gensets. The rest, if necessary, work at mobile generating installations, of which the company has 15 units. Therefore, during power outages, ATB stores continue to operate, but with restrictions on turning on some equipment. The company emphasizes that refrigeration equipment and freezers are not turned off.

As for the operation of diesel gensets at night, according to the law, from 22:00 to 8:00 there is a noise ban in residential buildings. Maintaining silence is regulated by the law on ensuring the sanitary and epidemic safety of the population, which prohibits the use at night, in particular, of sound-reproducing equipment and other sources of household noise, which include diesel generators. Therefore, to ensure proper storage conditions for certain product groups at night, perishable products are moved to medium- and low-temperature chests and chambers. Such modern equipment contains a preset temperature regime for up to 6-8 hours, which allows you to maintain the freshness of goods even during night power outages.

ATB's own diesel gensets allow working without interruptions, so in the vast majority of ATB stores the assortment remains unchanged, only in a few locations there has been a slight reduction. "But this is more due to the fact that one-time customer purchases have become smaller, but more frequent. People stopped stocking up on food at home due to long power outages," the press service noted.

To ensure maximum preservation of the freshness of goods for such groups of goods as meat, milk, chilled fish, and cakes, ATB works without any carryover balance in warehouses. At the same time, the company added that, in general, warehouse complexes have long ago reduced stocks of all groups of goods to the required minimum, regardless of their temperature conditions. This step was a response to the risks of losses due to Russian missile attacks.

As the company pointed out, the situation with energy shortages is already reflected in the prices of goods for consumers. "ATB compensates for the operation of generators at the expense of its income. Regarding manufacturers, we partially record an increase in prices for goods, which, probably, has already taken into account an increase in the price of energy," the press service reported.

Over 2023, the ATB group of companies paid taxes and fees to budgets of all levels, including customs duties and single social tax, for a total amount of UAH 25.06 billion, which is UAH 4.62 billion higher than in 2022, the company's press service reports.