Wednesday, 12 July 2023 11:25

A real cold war

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: One of the world's biggest ice cream companies is accused of selling ice cream in Russia thereby helping finance the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Unilever, owners of Wall's, Ben & Jerry's and Magnum ice cream brands, is operating in Russia more than a year after the country invaded Ukraine.

Unilever said that exiting was "not straightforward" as its operations would be taken over by the Russian state if it abandoned them. The company had been unable to find a way to sell the business that "avoids the Russian state potentially gaining further benefit, and which safeguards our people".

But the Moral Rating Agency - a watchdog organisation set up following the invasion of Ukraine - accused the firm of helping fund Russia's treasury by continuing to trade ther.

"Unilever must stop hiding behind its balance sheet and excuses to face the reality that selling an ice cream can allow Putin to pay for a bullet," says MRA.

Fonterra pulled out of Russia shortly after the invasion.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fatberg

OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.

Synlait snag

OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait's recovery seems to have hit another snag.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter