Development of Existing and Alternative Formats of Retail Chains in the Context of the Pandemic

In the current conditions of development of trade relations, one branch of the economy is particularly distinguished from other types of activity, and this is retail chains. We have high expectations for this area to meet basic human needs during the pandemic. The buildup caused by COVID-19 has put retail chains and supply chains on the brink of survival. Nevertheless, at the moment, we can make straightforward conclusion that the Russian food retail has effectively and promptly dealt with the current situation in order to meet the consumer needs. It quickly moved online and established its technological processes to do home delivery. The analysis showed that the volume of orders made online increased in March 2021 fivefold compared to March 2020. In this study, the author employed the methods of statistical and factor analysis. The article revealed the role of network retail in providing the public with the necessary goods and services during the pandemia. The study examined the ways of improving trade policy of retailers who are forced to develop alternative formats of trade under new economic conditions, in particular, online trade. The article provided the classification of retail chains operating in the FMCG retail format (consumer goods).