Europe1 .fr with AFP 15:23 p.m., April 18, 2023

The vodka brand Absolut, the Swedish flagship of the French group Pernod Ricard, announced Tuesday to suspend "with immediate effect" its exports to Russia, whose discreet resumption had sparked a boycott movement, as well as "massive criticism in all their forms". This decision was also criticised by the Swedish Prime Minister.

The vodka brand Absolut, the Swedish flagship of the French group Pernod Ricard, announced Tuesday to stop its exports to Russia, whose discreet resumption had sparked a boycott movement and criticism of the prime minister in Sweden. The Absolut Company, which produces one of the best-selling vodkas in the world, "has decided to stop exporting its brand to Russia" and this "with immediate effect," the company said in a statement, citing the need to protect its employees and partners in the face of "massive criticism in all its forms".

Sharp criticism from senior Swedish politicians

Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for Pernod Ricard said that the decision concerned "only" Absolut, and not the other brands of the French giant, number 2 worldwide spirits.

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The group last week confirmed press reports that it had resumed alcohol exports to Russia, after initially suspending them due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. A decision that has provoked strong criticism from senior politicians in Sweden, up to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson who had expressed his "real disappointment".

"The reactions of the last few days clearly reflect the role that Absolut plays in the community in Sweden," observes the Swedish alcoholic. "Taking into account the need to look after our employees and partners, we cannot expose them to massive criticism in all its forms," says the Absolut Company.

"Parallel imports of alcohol"

Pernod Ricard, which owns Swedish vodka since an acquisition worth more than 5 billion euros in 2008, justified the decision to re-export by protecting its employees to Russia and Moscow's decision to allow "parallel imports of alcohol without the permission of authorized importers, thus circumventing sanctions".

These explanations were not convincing in Sweden, where several famous bars and restaurants in Stockholm had removed Pernod Ricard products from their menus. Grain suppliers were also threatening to stop delivering their raw materials.

The new halt in exports "will unfortunately not prevent Absolut from falling into the hands of the parallel market, which has risen sharply in recent months and over which we have no control," the vodka brand said.

The name Absolut comes from "Absolut Rent Brännvin", which in Swedish means "absolutely clean brandy". Produced in Åhus in southern Sweden, its sales are around 100 million litres per year.