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Russia targets Swiss chocolate maker

Lindt chocolate bars
The Swiss chocolate maker says the Russian claims about lesser quality products are baseless. Keystone

Russia’s competition watchdog has accused several European firms, including Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli, of selling inferior products on the Russian market. Lindt has denied this. 

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) accused the firms of marketing or producing products in Russia under the same brand name as in Western Europe but whose quality and composition showed “significant differences”. Also targeted were washing powder brands Ariel and Persil.

FAS said on Friday its findings were based on tests conducted on random samples. The Russian regulator issued a warning to five companies including Procter & Gamble and Henkel as well as Lindt, calling on them to take action within 30 days. It said the manufacturers should either adjust the composition of their products or specify on the packaging that there is a difference between Russian and European products. 

The Zurich based chocolate maker denies the allegations. “All products delivered in the Russian Federation meet the same quality criteria as in the rest of Europe,” a spokeswoman said when asked for a reaction, adding that “all goods available on the Russian market are produced in our factories in Europe”. 

“We are convinced that our activities comply with Russian competition laws, and are ready to work with the authorities to provide the necessary evidence,” she said.

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