Many international brands halted operations in Russia after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine, while the French grocery store chain Auchan’s continued operations drew criticism. In the Ukrainian city of Lviv, demonstrators gathered in front of a store that belongs to Auchan’s. “This is a peaceful action,” Anna Gerych said in a statement on behalf of the protesting group. “We aren’t encouraging people to storm the stores. Doing business while people are dying is unethical. This is something they are told in every country they operate. Every year, they pay Russia over $150 million in taxes,” she said.
During the protest, however, the city of Lviv’s air defense system began to sound its sirens. Customers in the market were evacuated after the sirens were activated.
“Criticizing us is simple. But we’re here, and we operate for the civilians,” Yves Claude, the French grocery chain’s CEO said earlier.