The Ukrainian National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has included PepsiCo and Mars in the list of “international sponsors of the war.”
The agency claims that despite the statements about the reduction of business and the cessation of production, voiced after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, these companies continue to work in Russia, paying significant taxes to the budget and thereby supporting the economy of the aggressor state.
According to Ukrainian authorities, PepsiCo remains Russia’s fourth largest beverage and food company by net profit. In 2022, the revenue of PepsiCo Holdings increased to $2.59 billion, net profit grew by 333%, and the company paid more than $115 million in taxes to the Russian budget, according to the NACP.
Mars has invested $2.5 billion in the Russian economy, creating ten factories and more than six thousand jobs. Despite promises to cut the business, Mars LLC revenue for 2022 rose to $2.45 billion, net profit grew by 59%, and more than $93 million in taxes were paid to the Russian budget, the Ukrainian agency for the prevention of corruption said.
Currently, the list of “international war sponsors” maintained by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption of Ukraine includes almost 40 companies. Among them are Philip Morris International, Bacardi Limited, Unilever, Xiaomi Corporation, Yves Rocher, Raiffeisen Bank, Metro AG, Auchan, Leroy Merlin and others.
Source : MEDUZA
