The key facts

  • Clients aged 18–24 grew by 20% — the fastest-growing group in the SUNLIGHT chain
  • Overall demand rose by 11%, average loan is 30–35 thousand rubles
  • The audience grew most strongly in million-plus cities: +34%

Young people are turning to pawnshops

The number of SUNLIGHT pawnshop clients aged 18 to 24 grew by 20% in January–September 2026 compared with the same period last year. This group became the fastest-growing in the chain, the company told Gazeta.Ru. Overall demand for the chain's services over the same period rose by 11%, while the number of repeat visits increased by 12%.

Who borrows and on what terms

The average loan in the chain is 30–35 thousand rubles, while the average borrowing period shortened by 3%. According to the company, clients redeem 85–90% of pledged items — meaning most visits end with the collateral being returned rather than sold. This distinguishes the current trend from situations where a pledged item effectively changes owners: Russians were previously explained in which cases selling an item is more profitable than pawning it.

Audience structure and geography of growth

Despite the rapid growth of the young audience, the largest group remains those aged 35–44, accounting for 35% of clients. The median age of a visitor is 39; women make up 68% of the client base, men 32%. Among clients aged 45–54, the chain recorded growth of 11%, while for the audience over 65 the figure fell by 4%. Geographically, growth is unevenly distributed: the number of clients grew most strongly in regional million-plus cities — by 34%, while small and mid-sized cities saw an increase of 17%, and Moscow and St. Petersburg grew by 6% and 6.5% respectively. Thus, growth is driven mainly by the regions rather than the two largest cities.