"Protest at Global Consumer Goods Forum Targets Firms Still Operating in Russia", 11 June 2025

Pro-Ukrainian activists gathered on June 11 in Amsterdam near the venue of the Global Summit of the Consumer Goods Forum to call on the attending executives to withdraw their companies from the Russian market. As high-level executives arrived at the forum, activists confronted them at the entrance, highlighting the consequences of their continued business in Russia, which contributes tax revenue to the country’s war chest.

The Global Consumer Goods Forum has brought together CEOs and senior executives from major multinational companies that continue doing business in Russia, including Mondelez, PepsiCo, Mars, P&G, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Philips.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who gave the opening speech, failed to address the major role Western consumer giants play in Russia’s war economy. The activists have sent her a letter, citing her role as an advocate for sustainable development and human rights, and urging her to publicly call on participating companies to exit Russia.

While speaking about “responsible business practices,” Queen Maxima didn’t say a word about the responsibilities that companies operating in conflict zones bear under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has had a devastating human toll... While Ukraine endures these atrocities, many multinational companies prioritise making profits and paying taxes to the Russian state, completely disregarding their commitments under international human rights and humanitarian law, including the UNGPs.

According to B4Ukraine’s analysis, foreign multinationals paid at least $41.6 billion in taxes to Russia in 2022–2023, with an estimated additional $20 billion expected in 2024. These more than $60 billion in taxes paid to the Kremlin equal almost half of Russia’s 2025 military budget. Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) comprise the highest revenue-generating and tax-paying sector in Russia, accounting for over $58.5 billion in revenue made in Russia in 2023. This sector includes major American brands, such as Mondelez International ($1.4 billion of revenue in Russia), PepsiCo ($4.2 billion), and Procter & Gamble ($1.8 billion).

The Ukrainian government has designated these companies “International Sponsors of War” for providing financial assistance to the Kremlin through corporate taxes and human/physical resources, as per the requirements of Russia’s Partial Mobilization Order.

FMCG firms claim to provide the so-called “essential” goods to the Russian population, clearly stretching such a definition to include personal hygiene items, cookies, and chocolates that Ukrainians are often deprived of...