Have Western companies really left Russia?

[Danchik]

Updating life in Russia from a consumer's point of view, let's take a look at what's happened since major companies claimed to be leaving Russia back in March '22.

Coke is everywhere and the "funny" thing about it is it's mostly imported through a Polish company. Yes, the same country that sends tanks, ammunition, etc. to Ukraine. Seems money a.k.a profit is still more important than truth and honour.

Most of Coka-Cola's products have been rebranded under Multon Partners to get around sanctions.

Polish clothing brands like Reserve, Cropp, Mohito and House for example, now ship under the distributor LPP using different names, e.g Reserve is now RE, House is ХС (HS), etc.

Literally, the most vocal country with anti-Russia rhetoric. Wow, who would have thought?

Nestle, Switzerland's pot of gold in Russia still has many of its products circulating, just under different names, e.g Movinpik ice cream is now Monterra, Nesquik cereal is now хуртка, Kit Kat is now Goodmix, Maxibon ice cream bar is now Maxiduo and so on, you get the idea.
 
Valio, a Finnish brand that competed on par with the existing, and very successful Russian dairy market, did decide to sell its brand to a local businessman

Danone, France's very popular brand in Russia just said they'll continue to do the business of providing "essential" foods to Russia.

And then there's Diageo, which you Brits are certainly familiar with, not only continuing to sell labels such as Don Julio tequila, Jonny Walker's Red and Black label whiskey, Captain Morgan rum, Smirnoff vodka , Bailey's, Tanqueray, etc., but at an additional mark up after they announced to the world the were leaving Russia .

There are many more companies chomping at the bit to get back into Russia or are rebranding. And why wouldn't they? It's one of the most lucrative consumer markets in the world even though many niche markets have already been filled by Russian, Chinese and others not worried about sanctions.

[Manny]

I'd do the same.

Why destroy an important element of the business for the sake of US sanctions and a few Ukrainian flag shaggers on Twitter?

Just slide the stuff in by whatever means on the quiet. 

Rather like when I was in North Korea. I asked for white wine in a restaurant, expecting some local battery acid or the iffy Chinese Great Wall stuff. They came back and offered me a Pinot Grigio from Sicily or a German Reisling. 

[2tallbill]

Most of Coka-Cola's products have been rebranded under Multon Partners to get around sanctions.

There are many more companies chomping at the bit to get back into Russia or are rebranding.

There are many more similar

Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) today announced it completed the sale of its Russia operations to a Russia-based management team made up of former Halliburton employees. As a result, Halliburton no longer conducts operations in Russia.

The Russia-based management team now owns and operates Halliburton’s former business and assets in Russia under the name BurService LLC, which is independent from Halliburton.

Morons from Reuters who know zero about business just reports it as blindly
as they report Trump-Russian collusion. They don't question anything, they
just believe it.

Schlumberger told everyone that they are leaving too, but they didn't and
they are sucking up left behind assets and equipment and picking a few bones
clean.