Is the French company Bonduelle helping the Russian army? The major French group Bonduelle, which maintained its activities in Russia, was accused of supporting the invasion ofUkraine following a post on Russian social networks. There are many Ukrainian users who are also accusing France on the web and on social media.
December 30 on Vkontakte (the most important social network in Russia, ed.) A post has appeared that talks about a Russian city where you can see jars of Bonduelle products with a note that reads: “Dear soldier, Happy New Year! We wish you all the best and a quick victory!”
The post stated that the company would have sent as many as 10,000 cans to Russian militias.
Est-ce que Bonduelle a livré des colis aux soldats russes ?
Sur les réseaux sociaux, des images circulent. « Cher soldat, bonne année ! Nous vous souhaitons le meilleur et une victoire rapide! » is written on a small basket for a person wearing a blue and white t-shirt. pic.twitter.com/7Ka0h1iNc1
— Stéphane Kenech (@stephanekenech) December 31, 2022
On December 31, Bonduelle, with an official note, he denies having sent the parcels to the military. However, he specifies that he still participates in the collection of food for the needy which is aggregated in a deposit. This year, given the war, they “draw” from the deposit also for the families of the military and the military themselves. Bonduelle claims not to know who exactly their products go to.
Currently, the original publication on the Vkontakte social network that provoked the scandal has been canceled.
The Bonduelle group denies the information spread about it on Russian social networks. pic.twitter.com/elpXvtOOtC
— Bonduelle Group (@Bonduelle_Group) December 31, 2022
Bonduelle out of Ukraine?
In the meantime, given the situation, in Ukraine Bonduelle products are withdrawn from some supermarket chains. Is it possible that it is an effect of what happened on December 30th? According to Ukrainian sources, the authorities in Ukraine have explicitly advised large distributors to withdraw Bonduelle products from the market. This is also because the brand has always continued to work in Russia declaring that it must protect the social welfare of their 1000 workers and the population that consumes their products.
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In spring 2022, just weeks after the invasion of Ukraine, the company announced that it would continue to work in Russia.
“We operate in this country for over 25 yearsemploy over 1,000 people and produce basic food products at our three local factories for Russian consumers as well as 90 million consumers in the countries of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Central Asia)», Bonduelle explained in a note written a few months ago.
Clarifications and rebuttals of false information have not affected the desire of many consumers of Bonduelle products to declare their boycott. At the same time, the information that has now become public knowledge that the head of the Russian branch of the French company Ekaterina Eliseeva is directly connected to the Russian special services add fuel to the fire.
In the early 90s, the top manager received his higher education at the Fsb Academy (Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, ed.). What she herself said a few years ago. «Ekaterina Eliseeva wanted to become a translator, so she decided to get the appropriate specialization at the FSB Academy. After graduating from the institute in 1995, she was left alone with her little daughter in her arms and she realized that she had to provide the family with a decent life », Forbes told the details of Ms. Eliseeva’s biography in 2019, anticipating her own revelations about herself and her business.