Exports of Jameson to Russia to be halted following backlash

Owner Pernod Ricard reversed its decision and halt exports following the backlash

Russia was Ireland’s second-largest whiskey export market in 2021. Picture: Aidan Crawley/Bloomberg

Jameson owner Pernod Ricard is set to halt the export of its international brands into Russia following strong international criticism.

Activists staged a protest outside the Dublin headquarters of Irish Distillers and parent company Pernod-Ricard on Thursday, protesting a decision by the company to resume exports of Jameson to Russia.

Organised by Ukrainian Action Ireland, activists handed out flyers and were accompanied by a digital ad van, encouraging people to “Boycott Jameson, Stand with Ukraine”, and demanding that Pernod-Ricard cease exporting the Irish-made whiskey to Russia.

A Fine Gael senator has also called for the exports to be stopped immediately.

Tipperary-based Garret Ahearn said the move by the French-owned company is "morally unjustifiable and wrong".

Following the initial invasion of Ukraine by Russia in early 2022, global drinks company Pernod-Ricard issued a statement saying that the company was “deeply shocked and saddened by the war that has unfolded in Ukraine”, and that it had suspended its exports to Russia.

However, in September 2022 the statement published on the company’s website was amended to remove any mention of suspending exports.

Jameson whiskey, produced by Pernod-Ricard subsidiary Irish Distillers International Limited, is currently listed on Pernod-Ricard’s website as a brand available in Russia.

However, the Irish Examiner understands that the drinks giant is set to reverse its position following the significant backlash.

Senator Ahearn said: “This decision, made in some boardroom in France with only the bottom line on the agenda, hurts our image internationally. It needs to be reversed and time called on exporting Jameson to Putin’s Russia.”

“Pernod Richard was forced to halt exports of Absolut vodka following a rightful outcry from the public and threats of a boycott in Sweden, the liquor’s home country.

“Diageo, which owns Guinness and many other Irish drinks brands, stopped exporting and selling products to Russia when the invasion began last year, which is the right thing to do,” Senator Ahearn added.

New financial figures published this week show the French drinks group grew sales by 8% to €9.5bn in the nine months to the end of March 2023.

The Irish Whiskey Global Report 2022 noted that Russia was Ireland’s second-largest whiskey export market in 2021, with Ukraine being the fastest-growing market in Europe. According to the report, Russia and Ukraine cumulatively accounted for nearly 7% of all Irish whiskey sales in 2021.

Ukrainian Action Ireland, which represents the Ukrainian community in Ireland, is asking Irish Distillers and Pernod Ricard to reverse the decision to resume exports of Jameson to Russia.7

'Unscrupulous business'

Co-founder of Ukrainian Action Ireland, Anatoliy Prymakov, said that by doing business in Russia, Irish Distillers and Pernod-Pernod Ricard are “sponsor[ing] Russia’s war machine".

“Irish society has been incredibly supportive and welcoming to the Ukrainians seeking shelter and peace in Ireland. This welcome stands in stark contrast to an unscrupulous business willing to tarnish the reputation of an iconic Irish brand and reputation of Ireland as a whole for profit,” he said.

Pernod-Ricard had also recently resumed exporting Swedish-made Absolut Vodka to Russia. However, media reports about the resumption of exports sparked a public backlash in Sweden, and Pernod-Ricard stopped the export of Absolut to Russia last week.

A similar protest involving an ad van also took place in London this week, asking Beefeater Gin, another Pernod Ricard brand to stop its sales in Russia.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, Pernod-Ricard confirmed it is supplying stocks of spirits to Russia, “to a minimum level that permits us to sustain the Pernod Ricard distribution subsidiary, ensuring the welfare of our local team” and avoid an accusation of ‘fraudulent bankruptcy’ and potential criminal prosecution of their employees in Russia.

However, in an update on Thursday evening, the company said they were now working hard to find the best way to stop the export of their brands to Russia while ensuring the welfare and safety of their team. “Our commitment to protect our colleagues in the region has been the guiding principle of the difficult choices we have made, and we continue to work hard to find the best solution to this difficult dilemma. We will be providing updates as appropriate,” the statement read.

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