PepsiCo products will no longer be available for purchase within the premises of the Finnish Parliament building. This decision stems from the US soft drinks giant’s ongoing involvement in Russia, a country responsible for the invasion of Ukraine in February. The Finnish newspaper Yle has reported this move, emphasizing the parliament’s desire to set a precedent for all Finnish citizens.
The initiative was proposed by the Finnish parliament shortly after MP Tuomas Kettunen advocated for this action. In a press statement delivered on Monday, Kettunen urged Finland to lead by example and cease selling what he referred to as “blood-stained Pepsi.”
The prohibition of Pepsi products has been officially confirmed by the head of the Finnish parliament’s restaurant, who confirmed the removal of all products associated with the US company from their premises.
Kettunen’s call to action on Monday was prompted by a report issued by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP), which, on September 1, categorized PepsiCo as an international sponsor of conflict. This classification persisted despite the onset of the Ukrainian invasion, with PepsiCo continuing its operations in Russia and contributing taxes to the aggressor state’s budget.
The NACP’s report highlighted that, despite PepsiCo’s pledge to halt all activities in Russia, the company’s career portal still advertised over 580 job openings in the country. Furthermore, while PepsiCo ceased production of popular beverages like Pepsi, 7up, Mirinda, and Mountain Dew in Russia in the previous September, it continued to distribute and sell these products within the country.
According to reports from the Russia Briefing newspaper, citing Bloomberg, PepsiCo’s profits in 2022 surged by 16 percent compared to the previous year, and sales revenue was expected to quadruple.
Source: novinky.cz
