PrimaMedia, April 23
Pyaterochka's Digital Receipt Day targets Russia's 80 billion paper receipts annually
Retail chain Pyaterochka, part of food retailer X5 Group, has established an annual Digital Receipt Day to be observed on April 22. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of paper receipts and reduce non-recyclable waste in the retail sector.
According to Russia's Federal Tax Service, the country processes around 220 million fiscal receipts daily, totaling over 80 billion per year. The volume of paper receipt rolls ending up in landfills annually may reach 60,000 tons. Even a partial shift to digital receipts could significantly reduce this environmental burden. Data from Pyaterochka shows that digital receipts currently account for only about 10% of all issued receipts.
"Paper receipts, due to their technical properties, are indeed difficult to recycle, and their sheer volume remains enormous. What seems like an insignificant part of everyday shopping actually places a substantial strain on the environment," said Vladislav Kuratov, Managing Director of Pyaterochka. "We want to encourage not only our customers but all consumers across the country to recognize that switching to digital receipts isn't just about eco-friendly behavior—it's also about a more convenient shopping experience. For us, this is first and foremost a matter of care—for people, for everyday convenience, and for the world we live in."
Many shoppers already see little use for paper receipts. A study conducted by Russian Field (a research center) in March–April 2026 found that 58% of retail customers do not regularly take paper receipts: 49% do so selectively, often leaving them at the checkout, while only 9% have consciously switched to digital. Meanwhile, 42% always take paper receipts, with 26% of them immediately discarding them in the trash.
The reasons for preferring digital receipts are largely practical: 32% of respondents rarely use receipts to verify purchases, making paper versions unnecessary; 29% forget to take them even though they haven't switched to digital; and 26% consider them nothing more than extra waste. At the same time, a third of those surveyed believe digital receipts are far more convenient, given their core functions. Shoppers see paper receipts as worth keeping only for electronics and items with warranty coverage (57% of respondents), high-value purchases (55%), or when reimbursement from an employer is required (51%).
We fully support this commendable initiative by the retail chain: it is deeply symbolic that the transition to e-receipts will be marked on Earth Day. Switching to digital receipts is a gift to our planet—a meaningful contribution to forest conservation and a reduction in the pollution caused by the chemicals used in thermal paper production. We hope more companies will join this effort, redirecting the savings from printing receipts toward biodiversity protection projects. For cases where paper receipts remain necessary, we urge retailers to use paper certified under strict forestry standards. This will help preserve old-growth forests," said Nikolai Shmatkov, director of the Forest Stewardship System and a member of the public council of Rosleskhoz.
Currently, 38% of shoppers are ready to switch to e-receipts and support the idea in principle, while 67% would embrace the change if it demonstrably reduces environmental harm. Survey respondents cited their top motivations for making the switch: earning additional bonuses and discounts (50%), easier returns without needing a paper receipt (47%), adopting more eco-friendly habits (33%), the convenience of storing all receipts in one digital interface (31%), and faster checkout times (26%).
According to estimates from the "Pyatyorochka" supermarket chain, since the launch of the "Save the Forest" project in August 2025, millions of customers have already switched to digital receipts. The total resources saved amount to over 220,000 rolls of receipt paper—enough to spare roughly 221 trees from being cut down.
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