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- McDonald’s and PepsiCo, along with many others, are being urged to end their business in Russia.
- New York state’s comptroller wrote to several companies calling for action, per Reuters.
- British politician John Mann has made similar requests.
McDonald’s and PepsiCo are among the food and drink companies facing calls from political figures to cut business ties with Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine.
In a letter Friday, Thomas DiNapoli, New York state comptroller, urged companies to rethink their Russian business operations because they face “significant and growing legal, compliance, operational, human rights and personnel, and reputational risks,” Reuters reported.
He added that suspending or ending business in Russia “would address various investment risks associated with the Russian market” and play a key role in “condemning Russia’s role in fundamentally undermining the international order.”
McDonald’s and PepsiCo did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, made outside of normal working hours.
Other companies, including Estee Lauder, Kimberly-Clark Corp, Coty Inc, Mondelez International Inc, Fortinet Inc, Bunge Ltd, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc, and Trimble Inc, were also asked in the letter to boycott business in Russia, per Reuters.
Since Russian President Vladamir Putin invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked attack, scores of companies have taken action by ending or limiting their commercial dealings with Russia.
Ikea, Spotify, and Nike were among the major companies that recently severed business ties with Russia. Some retail brands, including Publix and Kroger, also showed their solidarity with Ukraine by removing Russian vodka from store shelves.
British politician John Mann called for similar action to DiNapoli. In a tweet, he said: “If Mcdonalds and Starbucks continue to sell in Russia then an international boycott of their products should be instigated.”
Social media users have also called for company boycotts, with McDonald’s facing particular scrutiny.
One user who posted a photo of open McDonald’s stores in Russia said: “Guess who is doing business as normal in #Russia no surprise #BoycottMcDonalds.”
Another said: “@McDonalds Leave #Russia or lose loyal customers, the choice is yours. #BoycottMcDonalds.”