Reuters: Russians did not feel the departure of Western brands from the Russian Federation
Leading Western brands are formally leaving the Russian Federation, but their products remain readily available on the Russian market. This is evidenced by a review by the British agency Reuters, published on February 22.
Now supplies come not directly from Western countries, but through China, Turkey and Kazakhstan, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Although European, North American and Japanese companies are leaving Russia due to its actions in Ukraine, the impact on Russian consumers is minimal, although delivery times may be longer and some products are more expensive. The main change is in supply routes, but products remain available both online and in stores. Buyers just need to know where to look,” the agency writes.
The vast majority of the goods in question are not subject to sanctions, and these cross-border shipments are legal.
“And Moscow is happy to let them through, no matter what route they take,” Reuters adds.
The agency notes that with supply chains disrupted, Russia has legalized so-called parallel imports, allowing retailers to import goods from abroad without the permission of the brand owner.
One of the emblematic Western products is Coca-Cola, which is often advertised as imported so that consumers know it is the real thing.
“Although Coca-Cola stopped producing and selling drinks in Russia last year, other companies imported them, with cans and bottles labeling them as coming from Europe, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China. One of the features of this situation is that prices vary.
In one of the Moscow supermarkets, three cans of the drink were sold at three different prices, imported from Denmark, Poland and the UK, respectively,” the material says.
“Contacts were quickly established and new contracts were signed with new partners, new cash flows and logistics supply chains were launched with Turkish, Polish and Kazakh companies,” a representative of a large Russian retail chain told the agency on condition of anonymity.
In addition, friendly countries increased exports to Russia. Thus, trade between China and Russia last year reached a record 1,28 trillion yuan ($186 billion), exports from Turkey to Russia increased by 61,8% - to $9,34 billion, and exports from Kazakhstan - by 25,1% , up to $8,78 billion.
Как reported “PolitNavigator”, Russia is gradually getting rid of Western imports and reorienting itself to Asia.
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