McDonald's finally closes all stores in Russia after facing global backlash
08.03.2022 - 22:37
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
McDonald's has finally conceded to global pressure and announced it will temporarily close its stores in Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine invasion.
The fast food giant faced backlash for continuing its operations in the country in spite of worldwide condemnation for Vladimir Putin's illegal attacks on Ukraine.
While other companies - including Netflix, Apple and Levi's - withdrew from Russia, the retailer was accused of putting profits before justice, according to the Mirror.
In recent days, calls to boycott McDonald's have been widely shared on social media, as businesses face pressure to weaken the Russian economy in protest over the war.
In an email to staff today, McDonald's chief executive Chris Kempczinski wrote: "The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people. As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace."
His message continued: "In recent days, I have spoken with and heard from many in our System about our operations in Russia. The situation is extraordinarily challenging for a global brand like ours, and there are many considerations.
"For 66 years, we have operated with the belief that communities are made better when there’s a McDonald’s nearby.
"In Russia, we employ 62,000 people who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities.
"We work with hundreds of local, Russian suppliers and partners who produce the food for our menu and support our brand. And we serve millions of Russian customers each day who count on McDonald’s.
"In the thirty-plus years that McDonald’s has operated in Russia, we’ve become an essential part of the 850 communities in which we operate.
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