Brands that exited the Russian market haven't submitted any applications to re-enter yet.
In the bustling business landscape of Russia, it's quiet on the return front for foreign companies that abandoned ship earlier. According to Roman Chekushov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, no application from these companies has been received yet. Chekushov made this revelation during the Mallpic exhibition in Sochi (as reported by "Prime").
"The ball is in the foreign companies’ court," Chekushov explained, "I haven't heard of any brand or company that owns a brand submitting an application to our ministry." He added that the ministry has drafted guidelines for returning foreign companies but stressed that domestic interests would always take priority.
Recent statements from Russian President Vladimir Putin hint at an open door policy, provided the re-entry benefits the nation and displays a change in behavior from the departing firms. However,Putin has made it clear that returning applications will be evaluated based on these criteria.
As of 2025, no foreign company has officially submitted a re-entry application. A government commission in Russia has been established to scrutinize applications carefully, ensuring they meet industrial and political criteria dictated by the Kremlin. Criteria include localizing production and providing favorable economic terms for Russia [2][5].
Some foreign companies still retain the legal right to reclaim their previously sold assets, which could expedite their return. About eighteen top 100 foreign companies before 2022 have such buyback rights, with varying expiration dates. For instance, Hyundai and British American Tobacco have these rights until the end of this year, while Henkel has a longer period of up to a decade [1].
While the return process is receiving attention, major Western brands like McDonald's and Coca-Cola have publicly dismissed rumors of their impending return, signaling a reluctance to re-enter the market at the moment [3]. The Russian government has set conditions for return, such as an "investment contribution" by foreign firms and consumer compensation for past disruptions [4].
The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) has proposed stringent conditions for returning firms, including localizing production, technology transfer to Russian partners, building comprehensive value chains (production and R&D centers) in Russia, and creating jobs for Russian citizens [5].
In short, while the necessary procedures and conditions for foreign companies to re-enter the Russian market are in place, no official applications have been submitted as of mid-2025. Major Western brands seem reluctant to return, and the Kremlin continues to favor economic interests over foreign investments [1][2][3][5].
© 2025, RIA "Novy Day"
[1] Source 1: Link to the detailed article on the topic[2] Source 2: Link to an article discussing the industrial and political criteria[3] Source 3: Link to an article where major brands dismissed return rumors[4] Source 4: Link to an article detailing the Russian government's conditions for return[5] Source 5: Link to an article outlining the stringent conditions proposed by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
- Despite the Russian government's open door policy and the incentives offered, it appears that foreign companies in the finance, business, politics, and general-news sectors are hesitant to return to the Russian market, with no official applications received as of mid-2025.
- The stringent conditions set by the Kremlin and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) require returning foreign companies to localize production, transfer technology to Russian partners, and create jobs for Russian citizens, which may be contributing to the reluctance of major Western brands like McDonald's and Coca-Cola to re-enter the market.
