The Auchan retail chain will continue to operate in Russia and has no plans to change this decision. The company’s position was not affected by the announcement of the exit from the Russian market of the Leroy Merlin chain, owned by the same French owners.
They told the Russian media about their position in Auchan. Auchan Retail Russia continues to operate in the Russian market and does not plan any changes in its strategy or in the organization of work,” the company said.
At the same time, the press service emphasized that Auchan in Russia “works autonomously.” It is understood that the Russian division of the company does not receive investment from the French parent company.
Thus, the supermarket chain will continue to pay taxes to the budget of the aggressor country. And that means financing the war against Ukraine.
Earlier, The Insider, Le Monde and Bellingcat published the results of a joint investigation proving that the Auchan supermarket chain in Russia supported the war against Ukraine. In particular, it became known that “Auchan” helped the Russian military (and under the guise of humanitarian aid for civilians), and also “surrendered” its employees to military registration and enlistment offices for mobilization.
“Auchan” became a sponsor of the war, but it will not be closed
In February 2023, the NAPC recognized Auchan as an international sponsor of the war. However, this decision does not mean that the Auchan network in Ukraine will be closed.
In general, the “War and Sanctions” list is designed to put pressure on the accomplices of the war. In addition, companies included in the list of international sponsors of the war are included in the World-Check database. It also does not result in immediate closure, but this database is used around the world to identify and manage financial, regulatory and reputational risks.
Companies from the list still continue to work in Ukraine, because the NAPC does not have the authority to close companies and restrict their work. However, if the NSDC imposes sanctions against these businesses, the situation may change.
The list of sponsors of the war also included other companies from the French corporation owned by the Mullier family. The Association Familiale Mulliez (AFM, Association Familiale Mulliez), for example, includes the same Leroy Merlin.
Mulier’s business empire is practically not subject to external influence and therefore does not leave Russia. Yes, Mullier’s business is practically not represented on the US market, so he is not afraid of US sanctions.
In addition, the corporation does not worry about the stock valuation of their companies, because they never went public. Until now, all AFM shares are kept within the Mullier family. And the Russian Federation is one of the main markets for Auchan and brings the company up to 10% of profit.
As GLOBAL HAPPENINGS reported, due to its work in Russia, the Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank International faced pressure from the European Central Bank (ECB). Against this background, and also after gaining the status of an international sponsor of terrorism, the bank started talking about a complete exit from the market of the aggressor country.
Source: Obozrevatel
I am a journalist who writes about economics and business. I have worked in the news industry for over 5 years, most recently as an author at Global Happenings. My work has focused on covering the economy news, and I have written extensively on topics such as unemployment rates, housing prices, and the financial crisis. I am also an avid reader and have been known to write about books that interest me.
