Well, it turns out that foreign companies aren’t as patriotic as we thought. Despite adored BMWs,Mercedes, and Apples being cut off, people are still finding a way to get their hands on them. I mean, can you blame them? Who wants to give up luxury items just because of a silly war? Ivan Fedyakov of INFOLine, a market research consultancy, said it best: “People know that nothing will replace a BMW or Mercedes or Apple.”

Some brands like Auchan, Procter & Gamble, Metro, and Yves Rocher have been designated as war sponsors by Ukraine’s National Agency on the Prevention of Corruption. Seems like these companies might be in deep trouble, huh? But let’s be real, no one wants to give up their Magnum ice cream or potato chips from PepsiCo and Unilever, respectively. I mean, come on, what’s life without snacks?

Some brands like Coca-Cola and Ikea have tried to appease the masses by leaving, but their affiliates haven’t quite followed suit. Coca-Cola HBC still produces cola under a different name in Russia, and Ikea still owns Mega shopping malls. Vladimir Putin has been making it difficult for foreign companies to leave by forcing them to get permission from the state. And even if they did get permission, they may not be able to sell because companies in Russia don’t always follow regulations.

Despite the war, 1,228 companies are still staying in Russia, generating more than $300 billion in revenue in 2020. And to top it off, Mr. Putin believes that the departures of foreign companies are a benefit to Russian businesses. We say let them have their fun! Who needs foreign companies when you have potato chips?!

Serious News: washingtonpost