LAST ORDERS

Full list of companies cutting ties with Russia as some bars stop selling vodka from the country

Published: 12:30, 6 Mar 2022
Updated: 12:38, 6 Mar 2022

A GROWING number of companies have cut all ties with Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

Bars, fashion giants, tech companies, movie distributors and even supermarkets have pulled stock from shelves, or suspended shipment and shut up shop.

Russian vodka has been pulled from some barsCredit: AFP

Even energy firms are pulling out of the country.

Tanks rolled over Ukraine's borders last week after president Vladimir Putin ordered his long-feared invasion.

The conflict has triggered many UK businesses and more to sever their connections to the nation.

On Friday Sainsbury's decided to remove two products produced in Russia from sale in its stores - joining Co-op Food, which was the first UK supermarket group to make the bold move in response to the crisis.

It followed Wetherspoon announcing that it will remove Baltika Lager from its 870 boozers across the UK.

But the list of companies boycotting the country grows as Zara, Paypal and Samsung become the latest to suspend trading in Russia following the invasion.

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The clothes giant is shutting 502 stores as of today, after rivals H&M and Asos stopped accepting orders in Russia earlier in the week too.

Meanwhile Paypal has shut down services in the country and Samsung is suspending shipments.

🔵 Read our Russia - Ukraine live blog for the very latest updates

It's not only 'Spoons that's stopped pouring drinks from the region over here either - Russian beers and vodkas have been axed from bars and restaurants across the UK in a sign of solidarity against the Ukraine war.

Nightcap group, which owns The Cocktail Club, Tonight Josephine and Barrio Familia, has removed vodka from its 25 bars in London, Birmingham and Bristol.

And Arc Inspirations, the chain behind the Box, Banyan and Manahatta bars, has also stopped pouring Russian vodka.

Ex-Dragon's Den star and CEO of Nightcap group, Sarah Willingham, said: "The devastation in Ukraine is heartbreaking, and I cannot start to comprehend what it must be like for the people of The Ukraine.

"It’s hard to sit here in our warm safe homes and do nothing.

"We have donated money, but from a business point of view we (the senior team and the staff) wanted to do something, anything, to show our support and so therefore we have removed all Russian vodka/alcohol from our bars across the whole of the Nightcap estate.

"It’s a little thing but the more little things we do, the bigger the impact will be."

Martin Wolstencroft, CEO and co-founder of Arc Inspirations, said: “As the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, we have decided to take a stand and have stopped pouring Russian vodka at bars across our venues.

"Putting people at the heart of our business is what we do. Together we stand and support our employees, customers, partners, and peers who have been affected.”

Compare the Market has also pulled its adverts which feature Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov from appearing around news bulletins due to the Ukraine war.

And Disney, Warner and Sony have halted the release of films in Russia due to the invasion, while shipping companies including FedEx and Deutsche Post which owns DHL have stopped deliveries to the country.

TRADING CHALLENGES

Energy companies BP and Shell have announced they are both ditching their interests in Russian oil firms.

Shell is exiting its joint venture with state-backed Gazprom and BP will sell its 20% stake in Rosneft.

Other foreign energy firms and telecoms companies have also dialled back on connections with the nation.

Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has paused delivery of its cars to Russia.

A spokesperson for the company said: "Jaguar Land Rover's first priority is the wellbeing of our entire workforce and their families, as well as those within our extended network.

"The current global context also presents us with trading challenges so we are pausing the delivery of vehicles into the Russian market and continually monitoring the situation on behalf of our global customer base."

German firm Daimler Truck which makes commercial vehicles like Mercedes Benz buses and trucks has frozen its partnership with Russian firm Kamaz.

American car firm General Motors and Sweden's Volvo have also made similar moves along with Japan's Mitsubishi, France's Renault and motorcycle maker Harley Davidson.

The head of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, the UK's biggest pension fund has said it is offloading around £450m of Russia-linked investments.

The scheme has around half a billion pension customers and £90billion assets.

Uber said it is looking to cut ties with its Russian by accelerating the sale of its stake in Russian ride-hailing firm Yandex.

Meanwhile Mastercard and Visa have have announced they are suspending operations in Russia.

And banks including HSBC are stopping activities connected to Russia.

Russia is facing economic ruin as severe sanctions start to bite.

Interest rates doubled overnight, the rouble tanked and huge cashpoint queues built up as desperate Russians tried to salvage their savings.

Meanwhile, Kennel Club, which runs the Crufts Dog Show, has banned Russians from competing in the event next week.