Pernod Ricard halts exports to Russia
Jameson owner Pernod Ricard has stopped all exports of its international brands to Russia and will end distribution of its entire portfolio in the country.
In a statement published on the Pernod Ricard website on Friday (12 May), the company said ending the distribution of its portfolio in Russia “will take some months to complete”. Pernod’s exports to Russia ended at the end of April, the company said.
“We are assessing how to adapt our local organisation in light of these decisions, while fully complying with all local legal regulations,” the statement read.
“Since the outbreak of the war our guiding principle has been the welfare of our teams wherever they are based, and we will continue to support our local employees during this process.”
A spokesperson for the company said it would keep a “limited team” in Russia in order to eventually resume business in the future, but downsizing local operations would mean the loss of approximately 300 jobs in the country.
In response to outcries in Sweden last month, Pernod Ricard ceased exporting its Absolut Vodka to Russia, however the decision did not apply to its other brands, including Glenlivet, Ballantine’s, and Beefeater Gin.
Over the last month the company has faced protests and calls for a portfolio-wide boycott of all its brands, with further protests hosted last week at the World Distilled Spirits Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Protesting outside the conference’s evening ‘surprise event’ at the National Museum of Scotland, Scots and Ukrainians living in Edinburgh called for the spirits industry to demonstrate its ongoing solidarity with Ukraine, and stop doing business with Pernod Ricard while it continued to export to Russia.
The firm said it had restarted local distribution in order to support its local employees and protect its brands against ‘grey market’ distribution by third-party actors.
Related news
Spot Whiskey campaign marks World Art Day
