Global beverage giant PepsiCo bans mention of war and Ukrainian Armed Forces in ads

Global food and beverage giant PepsiCo has banned any mention of the war in Ukraine in its advertising, even in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers (UCSC) reported on Jan. 11.

Read also: Pepsi and Mars named international sponsors of war for pumping money into Russian economy

The company, known for brands like Lay’s, Mirinda, Pepsi, Sandora, 7up, and others, is listed as a sponsor of the conflict by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAZK).

PepsiCo has extended its ban on mentioning the war to Ukraine itself. While seeking a new advertising agency, the company indicated it wished to avoid any allusions to war, military actions, aggression, or the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and wanted to refrain from any expression of support for Ukraine and its military in future advertisements and communications.Advertisements are also not allowed to include any negative references that might “create a sense of danger.”

Analysts at B4Ukraine suggest that this behavior could be attributed to PepsiCo’s ongoing operations and growing profits in Russia, the aggressor state in the conflict.

PepsiCo has been operating in Russia since 1974, where it has nineteen plants, around 20,000 employees, and 40,000 agricultural workers.

Read also: Scandinavian Airlines drops Nesquik, not serving Pepsi, due to war sponsor designation

PepsiCo is the fourth-largest company in the beverages and food products industry in Russia. In the past year, PepsiCo’s net profit in Russia surged by 333%, reaching $525 million. The company contributed approximately $115 million in taxes to the Kremlin. Activists note that the iconic Pepsi Cola is now sold under the brand Evervess-Cola in Russia, while regular Pepsi Cola can still be found in Russian supermarkets through so-called parallel imports.

NAZK has included PepsiCo in the list of international sponsors of the war. Aside from operating in Russia, the company’s products were found in the food rations of Russian soldiers.

Earlier reports have indicated that NAZK is inviting CEOs of international companies that have not ceased operations in Russia to Ukraine.

The full list of NAZK’s international sponsors of war can be found here.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine