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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Sam Barker

Starbucks closes all 130 branches in Russia over the war in Ukraine

Coffee giant Starbucks is permanently shutting all its 130 Russian stores over the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Starbucks stopped selling coffee in Russia on March 8, but is now going one step futher.

Starbucks has operated in Russia for 15 years through franchises, and employs 2,000 staff.

Around 1% of Starbucks' cash comes from its Russian franchises.

In March, former Starbucks chief executive Kevin Johnson said: "We continue to watch the tragic events unfold and, today, we have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products."

But now the coffee shop chain said all these branches would close for good.

Starbucks will pay its 2,000 Russian workers for another six months to help tide them over while they look for other work.

The coffee shop firm is one of a series of Western companies taking action against Russia over the country's aggression towards Ukraine.

Last week McDonald's began the process of selling its business in Russia after 30 years of operation.

McDonald’s plans to sell its business to a local buyer and they will be unable to use the McDonald’s name, logo or branding.

Starbucks suspended sales in Russia in March - but is now leaving for good (AFP via Getty Images)

Chris Kempczinski, the chief executive of McDonald’s, said: “It is a complicated issue that’s without precedent and with profound consequences."

Clothes shops like Next, ASOS and Boohoo have also stopped trading in Russia.

H&M followed suit, despite around 4% of its sales - the company's sixth-biggest market - coming from Russia.

The complete list of companies that have withdrawn, stopped Russian imports or temporarily suspended ties include:

  • Adidas
  • Apple
  • Arc
  • Adidas
  • Airbnb
  • Apple
  • Arc
  • Asos
  • Asda
  • BMW
  • Boohoo
  • BP
  • British Gas
  • Burberry
  • Caterpillar

  • Chanel
  • Compare the Market
  • Co-op
  • Currys
  • Deere

  • Dell

  • Deloitte
  • Disney
  • EY
  • FA and Fifa
  • Fortnum & Mason
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Harrods
  • Hermes
  • Hilton
  • H&M
  • HSBC
  • Hyatt

  • Ikea
  • Inditex
  • JD Sports
  • John Lewis
  • KPMG
  • LMVH

  • Mango
  • Marks & Spencer
  • Mars
  • Marriott

  • Mastercard
  • McDonald's
  • Microsoft
  • Mondelez
  • Nestle
  • Netflix
  • Next
  • Nightcap Group
  • Nike
  • Nokia
  • Papa John's

  • Paypal
  • PwC
  • Samsung
  • Shell
  • Sony
  • Sainsbury's
  • Sports Direct
  • Starbucks
  • Uber
  • Unilever
  • Visa
  • Volvo
  • Warner
  • Wetherspoon
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter
  • YouTube
  • Zara
  • 3M

However, many other brands have refused to cease trading in Russia.

These include household names like sandwich firm Subway.

Subway said its profits in Russia will go towards humanitarian efforts.

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