Coca-cola and Russia

[RuralRita]

Will you be boycotting Coke after they announced they will continue trading in Russia?

I feel tremendously sorry for the Russian people, thousands would lose their jobs if coca-cola pulled out, but I will not be buying coke now.

Reading the comments from the kids on this newsround article was the first time I cried since the start of this conflict. What terrible times.

www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/60590289#comments

No. If I'm going to get nuked I may as well enjoy a can of Coke first.

I'm boycotting Mini Kievs until they rename them Mini Kyivs.

Nope.

Coke is already made by morally bankrupt businesses so it's hardly surprising.

I never drink coca-cola anyway. Vile unhealthy stuff

I used to work with a lot of Russians living in the UK. They all really supported Putin. They had complete access to the Internet to see what he was doing but they thought he was great. I think Putin has a lot of support in Russia so I don't think we can just assume that the average person condemns what Putin has done. Many Ukrainians support his actions too.

i only buy coke at christmas

@ClariceQuiff

No, because these terrible events aren't the fault of the ordinary Russian on the street. I wouldn't want thousands of Russians to lose their jobs when they have absolutely no influence on the decision to invade Ukraine.

Absolutely agree with this. For goodness sake.

Re what the people of Russia believe about the invasion of Ukraine, this BBC article telling three people's stories is very revealing - they don't even believe their own relatives when they say they're being bombed, they're fed so much state propaganda
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60600487

No I will still be buying it

^“TellMeMoreHellebore

The people of Russia ARE the ones who can help

They are the ones who can rebel and put pressure on their government! And by cutting off trade it will also have effect

The people of Russia may be innocent yes, but they are safe in their homes, unlike the Ukrainian people“^

I understand the sentiment but agree with PPs who say Russians aren’t necessarily safe. Putin’s administration keeps spitting out laws along the lines that sharing information about the war, donating money or discussing things is treason and can mean 20 years in prison. Similar laws for protesting (and all the more impressive that people still do). There hasn’t been a genuine election in Russia for years and years. People are afraid of the state. Also their livelihoods and ways of life are now disintegrating around them. It’s widely expected that Putin will start calling up anyone under 50 to serve, too. So I would urge some balance.

Another thing about these threads is that we need to not infantalise an entire people with “they just don’t know anything”. Some don’t. Some do via VPNs and family abroad. Some can access but don’t want to know. There is no homogenous ignorant mass that needs to be jolted awake by being deprived of Coke. As with everything, there are shades of grey and we would be doing the debate a disservice by looking at things in back and white terms.

Yeah nice one . Go without Coke and feel all virtuous. That will show the Russians and the thousands of Coke employees in the Uk. Yeah my son and his workmates should have their jobs placed at risk . 😠

no
Iam not one for boycotting, don't see the point.

The general population still need to work. They still have children to feed.

No. I like the stuff.

My worry with these boycotts and sanctions are that they will only serve to reinforce the narrative every day Russians are being fed: that the west are the enemy and 'look how they are making you suffer, see. Here is the proof.'

No

Back in the 1990's when Russia opened up to the West I worked for a company that set up a factory there, their factory was in the same district as the Coca-Cola factory on one trip it was noted that the Coca-Cola factory had a massive hole in the outer wall of the compound caused by some kind of hand held missile, the reason for this was because Coca-Cola were not paying protection money to the right people, allegedly.

Holland and Barrett have links to Russia.
Aargh.

@Nightlystroll

I used to work with a lot of Russians living in the UK. They all really supported Putin. They had complete access to the Internet to see what he was doing but they thought he was great. I think Putin has a lot of support in Russia so I don't think we can just assume that the average person condemns what Putin has done. Many Ukrainians support his actions too.

Many Ukrainians support the war against Ukraine? Do you have a link to anything to support that comment?

On Russia though yes there was a lot of support for the war I think, they had put it at something like fifty percent for, fifty percent against and there was a generational difference, with the younger generations against.

Of course peoples opinion changes, particularly when hardship bites. There does appear to be a lot of misinformation and propaganda in Russia, but the Russian people are far from idiots and they have links with the outside world, many will have family members in the armed forces involved in this, many will have family members in other countries, or work for western companies, and many will have family and friends in Ukraine itself. So they will get information from outside Russia. It’s very difficult to stop that, without cutting all broadband, banning all employment with western companies and cutting all phone lines so people cannot communicate out of the country.

@FatFredsFriedEgg

I'm boycotting Mini Kievs until they rename them Mini Kyivs.

My boycott seems to have worked!

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/waitrose-ukraine-russia-john-lewis-partnership-sainsbury-b986107.html

I'm boycotting Coke. Not touching any goods from any products affiliated with Russia ever again.

*companies not products

@CowboyJo

I'm boycotting Coke. Not touching any goods from any products affiliated with Russia ever again.

So for at least the next week?

@LizDoingTheCanCan

Yep. As much as I reasonably can. Except the bloody gas and electrics because we have no choice

Russian vodka removed from the supermarkets! It's already paid for and on the shelves. What is the point of that?!?