Big Alcohol’s Actions in Russia After Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine
Posted on March 16, 2022 in AB InBev, AB InBev, AB InBev, Canada, Canada, Canada, Canada, Canada, Canada, CanadaMany multinational corporations are leaving Russia in a mass exodus after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The Washington Post reports that at least 350 multinational corporations have abandoned or frozen their operations in Russia.
Movendi International has been closely covering this developing issue, specifically in terms of beer giant Carlsberg’s continued involvement with Putin’s regime. We scrutinized why Carlsberg remained in Russia while many other corporations, even Big Oil with its unethical business track record, left.
In this update, we follow not only Carlsberg but how other Big Alcohol giants have been acting since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
What we find is that most Big Alcohol companies are still continuing operations in Russia or are unclear about their stance. However, they are using several restrictions such as stopping exports to Russia, stopping investments, suspending their flagship brands in Russia to avoid public and political scrutiny over their business in Russia.
In a more convoluted strategy, several Big Alcohol companies are exploiting the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine for PR purposes. These companies are publicizing their donations or relief efforts. The strategy further intends to white-wash companies’ image and divert attention from their continued operations in Russia.