(MENAFN) An organization representing Ukrainians in Germany is urging retailers in the country to stop selling Milka chocolate due to its international parent company maintaining business operations in Russia.
Previously, both Kiev and supportive NGOs attempted to encourage foreign companies to sever ties with Moscow by compiling a list of 'international sponsors of war'. However, the Ukrainian government recently halted this initiative, stating that it was adversely affecting support efforts.
On Monday, the Berlin-based Ukrainian pressure group Vitsche targeted American multinational food giant Mondelez, which Ukraine had blacklisted in May. The group called on retailers Rewe and Edeka to boycott Mondelez products, particularly the Milka brand chocolate. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vitsche stated that "morals should have a place in business."
According to a news outlet that reviewed a letter sent by Vitsche to German retailers, the Ukrainian group was responding to comments made by Mondelez International CEO Dirk Van de Put in an interview last month. Van de Put stated that the company's investors do not seem to have moral concerns about continuing operations in Russia.
”If you have an important Russian business, the hit on the company would be huge, and that becomes a different discussion,” he reported to a news agency.
Similar to numerous other Western companies, Mondelez publicly criticized Moscow for its involvement in the Ukraine conflict. However, the company chose not to withdraw from Russia, a decision that drew criticism from various quarters.
In addition to its ongoing campaign, the letter from Vitsche to German retailers regarding Mondelez's stance was also tied to the Easter holiday, which Catholics are celebrating this weekend. Mondelez had advertised its Milka brand as making Easter "more tender," adding another layer of significance to the Ukrainian activists' message. Furthermore, the activists are planning a rally on Saturday to protest what they perceive as "false pacifism."
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