The Mulliez group, which owns Auchan, Leroy Merlin and Decathlon stores in Russia, refused to leave the country despite requests from the Ukrainian president.
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The Ukrainian Foreign Minister called on Sunday March 27 to boycott Auchan stores. The French group has announced that it wants to maintain its activities in Russia, citing in particular the need to support the purchasing power of Russians.
“Apparently the job losses in Russia are greater than the deaths in Ukraine”wrote Dmytro Kouleba on Twitter. “If Auchan ignores the 139 Ukrainian children murdered during this month of Russian invasion, let’s ignore Auchan and all its products”, he added, calling for “boycott” the Auchan, Leroy-Merlin and Decathlon stores, all owned by the Mulliez Family Association.
Apparently, job losses in Russia are more important than the loss of life in Ukraine. If Auchan ignores 139 Ukrainian children murdered during this month of Russian invasion, let us ignore Auchan and all their products. Boycott @AUCHAN_France @alcampo @Leroymerlinfr @Decathlon pic.twitter.com/ZuLqbYwVgs
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 27, 2022
The CEO of Auchan Retail International, Yves Claude, had defended in The JDD maintaining the group’s activities in Russia. He had been criticized for this by the Ukrainian president, who spoke before the French parliament on Wednesday. Auchan, which has been present in Russia for twenty years, employs 30,000 people there and has decided to stay in the country. In Russia, where Auchan generates 10% of its global sales, “we have a discounter positioning and we believe we will contribute in a period of high inflation to protect the purchasing power of the inhabitants”, adds Yves Claude. The CEO of Auchan specifies that he does not want to deprive his employees, 40% of whom are shareholders, of their jobs.