The owner of Cadbury, US snack giant Mondelez, has come under renewed fire over its continued operations in Russia from a broad cross-party coalition of UK lawmakers.
72 MPs and Peers have signed a letter initiated by Labour MP Alex Sobel, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary group on Ukraine, addressed to Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Mondelez, and Louise Stigant, Managing Director of Mondelez UK.
By remaining in Russia, Cadbury’s owner is “providing a financial bloodline” to the Kremlin and “eroding Cadbury’s name,” the letter said. “Continuing to operate in a nation responsible for the deaths of countless Ukrainian civilians and the abduction of thousands of children cannot be justified under any definition of ‘business as usual,’” the Parliamentarians wrote.
Copies of the letter were also sent to top UK football clubs with which Mondelez has sponsorship partnerships, “to make them aware of the views of UK parliamentarians.” The list of clubs includes Arsenal, Birmingham, Celtic, Chelsea, Glasgow Rangers, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
The letter is the most recent criticism directed at the company for its continued presence in Russia which, according to the B4Ukraine Coalition, earned Mondelez $1.4 billion in 2023 and netted the Kremlin $62 million in profit taxes. This places Mondelez in the top 20 foreign companies contributing to Russia’s militarised budget. To put this in perspective, £48 million could fund nearly 1,250 Shahed kamikaze drones, weapons Russia routinely uses to bombard target Ukraine’s critical and civilian infrastructure, causing mass civilian casualties and the mass destruction of property.
MPs and peers demanded that the sweets maker disclose “the extent of its activities in Russia as well as all taxes, fees, and other financial contributions to the Russian government so stakeholders can hold Mondelez accountable”.
Referring to Cadbury’s roots, the letter signatories argued that the brand’s legacy — “once synonymous with ethical business, Quaker values, and a deep connection to the communities it served in the West Midlands” — is now at risk of being undone by “Mondelez’s refusal to disengage from a regime that has committed over 160,000 war crimes in Ukraine alone.”
Alex Sobel MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine, said: “Mondelez’s investors must demonstrate that they will not tolerate continued complicity, debunking its CEO’s assertion that shareholders “do not morally care” about the company’s continued business in Russia. Leading UK football clubs currently sponsored by Cadbury should reconsider and terminate these partnerships. Consumers can also choose to spend their valuable Easter egg pound elsewhere this April. There are plenty of other Kremlin-free brands to buy from.”
Imogen Payter, Director of UK Friends of Ukraine, a UK-based campaign group supporting Ukraine, stated: “It is scandalous that the owner of one of UK’s most beloved and historic brands is undermining the UK government’s support for Ukraine by paying taxes to the Russian state, effectively helping to prolong Russia’s war of terrorism against Ukraine and its people. Cadbury must not be associated with Russia’s war crimes, and UK companies must not be allowed to do business in or with Russia.”
Nezir Sinani, Executive Director of B4Ukraine, said: “Richard and George Cadbury once built a town to care for their workers — today, their brand’s owner operates under a Russian regime that compels companies like Mondelez to assist with conscripting employees. Mondelez cannot credibly claim to respect human rights while complying with Russian laws that support the war effort.”
B4Ukraine calls on the Board of Mondelez International to do the right thing and sever its business ties with Russia immediately.