CSPC Pharma and AstraZeneca Forge Multibillion-Dollar Partnership to Develop Long-Acting Peptide Drugs 
Sam Altman Reaffirms OpenAI’s Long-Term Commitment to NVIDIA Amid Chip Report 
Jensen Huang Urges Taiwan Suppliers to Boost AI Chip Production Amid Surging Demand 
Tesla Launches New Model Y Variant in the US Starting at $41,990 
Boeing Secures New Labor Contract With Former Spirit AeroSystems Employees 
SoftBank and Intel Partner to Develop Next-Generation Memory Chips for AI Data Centers 
Saks Global to End Saks on Amazon Partnership Amid Bankruptcy Restructuring 
Trump Threatens Aircraft Tariffs as U.S.-Canada Jet Certification Dispute Escalates 
Qantas to Sell Jetstar Japan Stake as It Refocuses on Core Australian Operations 
Google Cloud and Liberty Global Forge Strategic AI Partnership to Transform European Telecom Services 
Using the Economic Calendar to Reduce Surprise Driven Losses in Forex 
Oracle Plans $45–$50 Billion Funding Push in 2026 to Expand Cloud and AI Infrastructure 
SpaceX Reports $8 Billion Profit as IPO Plans and Starlink Growth Fuel Valuation Buzz 
Federal Judge Signals Possible Dismissal of xAI Lawsuit Against OpenAI 
Hyundai Motor Lets Russia Plant Buyback Option Expire Amid Ongoing Ukraine War 
US Judge Rejects $2.36B Penalty Bid Against Google in Privacy Data Case 
PepsiCo's advertising strategy in Ukraine has come under scrutiny due to restrictions imposed on mentioning the war or expressing support for the Ukrainian army. This move has raised concerns about the company's positioning amidst the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Restrictive Advertising Guidelines
According to Yahoo, the advertising guidelines issued by PepsiCo prohibit any mention of war, combat actions, aggression, military personnel, or the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Furthermore, the Odessa Journal adds that expressing support for Ukraine or the Ukrainian army is strictly prohibited. These restrictions aim to avoid negative connotations that may create a sense of "danger."
B4Ukraine, an organization monitoring the presence of international businesses in Russia, highlighted PepsiCo's advertising strategy. They referenced a brief the company submitted when searching for a new advertising and PR agency in Ukraine. B4Ukraine reached out to Pepsi offices in both Ukraine and the U.S. for comment but has yet to receive a response.
Operating in Russia
Despite the controversy in Ukraine, PepsiCo continues its operations in the Russian market. The company pays taxes and contributes to the Russian budget, with a reported payment of $115 million, according to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK). Additionally, PepsiCo has a considerable workforce of 20,000 employees and 40,000 agricultural workers in Russia.
Although the formal sale of Pepsi Cola has ceased on Russian shelves, the product remains accessible through so-called "parallel import" channels. This finding raises questions about the effectiveness of measures taken to discontinue the product's availability in Russia.
Ukrainian Allegations
In September 2023, PepsiCo was added to Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) list of international "war sponsors." The NACP stated that PepsiCo had promised to halt beverage production in Russia after the full-scale war began but failed to follow through. Moreover, it was noted that Lay's chips, also produced by PepsiCo, have been discovered in Russian soldiers' food rations.
B4Ukraine's attempt to gather further information from officials at PepsiCo has thus far remained unanswered. It remains to be seen whether the company will address the concerns raised by B4Ukraine and the allegations made by the NACP.
Photo: PR Newswire
