Parent company Mondelez defends itself against allegations: Swiss Ukrainian association calls for boycott of Toblerone

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Just in time for Easter, a letter from Ukrainian activists arrives at the German headquarters of Rewe and Edeka supermarkets. Demand: Supermarkets should remove all Milka chocolate products from their shelves. According to the report of the online portal “Focus”, this is because the parent company Mondelez is still active in Russia.

Mondelez produces not only the purple-coated Milka chocolate, but also the iconic Toblerone chocolate, which is part of Swiss cultural heritage. When we asked the Ukrainian association in Switzerland, the demand was similar: “First of all, we call on Mondelez to completely withdraw from Russia,” says Sasha Volkov (48), board member of the Ukrainian association in Switzerland.

However, if Mondelez does not withdraw from Russia soon, the association wants to encourage consumers to avoid using the brand’s products, including Toblerone. This waiver also targets retailers, according to Volkov. “If Mondelez does not stop its operations in Russia, we will also call on Swiss retailers to remove the company’s products from their assortment,” says Volkov.

Denner and Valora want to “control”

Blick asked retailers; The answers were surprisingly diverse. Valora still has time to think about it and wants to examine the Ukrainian association’s claim for its subsidiaries such as “k kiosk” in Switzerland. Denner, a subsidiary of Migros, is also open. Although there are no immediate plans to delist Toblerone and Co., the spokesman adds: “Denner is closely monitoring developments in connection with the claims put forward.”

At Migros, the situation is completely different, where the request of the Ukrainian association in Switzerland is flatly rejected: “This is not a problem for us,” a spokesman told Blick. “Migros bases its actions solely on the legal framework, in particular Swiss legislation, including international humanitarian law, and the international obligations undertaken by Migros in relevant cases.” Coop keeps it short: “No action is planned at this time.”

Background to the claim

Companies still operating in Russia have repeatedly come under fire. Because if a company operates in the country, it indirectly supports Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through tax contributions. In Mondelez’s case, this amounts to tens of millions of dollars a year.

However, as “Handelsblatt” announced to the public at the end of 2022, direct intervention in the events is also possible. Companies in Russia are obliged to notify the state of the conscription status and data of their male employees during mobilization. Volkov says this is also true for Mondelez. “Toblerone manufacturer Mondelez knows this legal situation very well.”

Mondelez defends itself against criticism

On Wednesday, the US food giant defended itself against the allegations. “There are no easy decisions, but like most other global food and beverage companies, we continue to provide food during these difficult times,” a company spokesperson said.

Mondelez also contradicts the accusation of indirectly and directly intervening in the war. «We have reduced our activities in Russia, stopped new capital investments, new product launches and advertising expenditures. These measures have caused us to sell significantly less product. “We will continue to reduce our operations,” the spokesperson continued. “We condemn this brutal attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the war.” Mondelez does not disclose company figures regarding its operations in Russia.

Source :Blick