Abstract
<jats:p>In 2016, Federal Law no. 273-FZ entered into force, introducing a number of significant amendments to the so-called Law on Trade (no. 381-FZ), adopted in 2009 and the central law regulating trade activities in the Russian Federation. This article assesses the impact of the 2016 amendments on the situation of suppliers to retail chains. Its relevance and novelty stem from the significant regulatory asymmetry currently observed between online platforms and traditional retail chains amid the rapid growth of marketplaces. The paper formulates hypotheses regarding the impact of Federal Law no. 273 on suppliers' commercial expenses, based on a detailed review of legislation, analytics, and empirical research. The findings demonstrate the lack of a sustainable long-term effect of the 2016 amendments, the presence of a short-term decline in commercial expenses for food suppliers in 2017, and a widening gap between large and small suppliers. While some of the restrictions are offset by changes in contract structures, they may hinder competition between chains and marketplaces. The conclusions emphasize that the current provisions of the Law on Trade do not guarantee the equalization of bargaining power and require revision, taking into account digitalization and the development of marketplaces. The theoretical significance of this work lies in clarifying the mechanisms by which industry regulation influences the distribution of commercial costs and bargaining power in vertical relations, while its practical significance lies in providing a basis for amending trade legislation and developing more symmetrical competition rules for offline retail chains and marketplaces.</jats:p>