The American fast-food chain announced on Tuesday its decision to temporarily close its 850 restaurants and suspend all operations in the country. Coca-Cola and Starbucks followed suit.
Article written by
Posted
Update
Reading time : 1 min.
McDonald’s, blamed for not having cut ties with Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine, finally gave in to public pressure on Tuesday March 8. The American chain has announced its decision to temporarily close its 850 restaurants in Russia and suspend all operations in the country. “The situation is extraordinarily difficult for a global brand like ours and there are many considerations to take into account”underlined the boss of the group, Chris Kempczinski.
McDonald’s has 62,000 employees nationwide, whom it will continue to pay, as well as multiple suppliers. Russia represents 9% of its turnover and 3% of its operating profit.
Soft drink giant Coca-Cola also announced it was suspending operations in Russia. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation as circumstances evolve,” underlines the group, which does not give details on its exact activities in the country.
Starbucks will also close 130 cafes bearing its name in Russia and stop shipping its products to the country, becoming the latest major American group to cut ties with Moscow. In total, more than 280 major companies with a significant presence in Russia have announced their withdrawal, according to an inventory maintained by a team at Yale University.