London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Dec 30, 2025

Supermarkets remove Russian vodka from shelves

Supermarkets remove Russian vodka from shelves

Sainsbury's, Aldi, Asda and Waitrose have all announced they will axe Russian products amid the war in Ukraine.

Sainsbury's will remove Russian Standard vodka and Karpayskiye black sunflower seeds from its shelves.

Waitrose, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership, will no longer sell Russian vodka either.

Asda's announcement will apply to about 100 products - mostly spirits, but also includes fish and some sweets.

The supermarkets follow moves from the likes of Morrisons and Co-op, which said on Thursday that they would withdraw Russian-made vodka from sale.

Sainsbury's said it would also change the name of chicken Kiev to "chicken Kyiv" to match the Ukrainian spelling of the capital.

A spokesperson for Britain's second-biggest supermarket said: "We stand united with the people of Ukraine.

"We have reviewed our product range and have decided to remove from sale all products that are 100% sourced from Russia."

Mohsin Issa, Asda's co-owner, said: "We stand with our customers and colleagues who are shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine - and our thoughts are with those people whose lives are affected by this crisis."

Meanwhile, the John Lewis Partnership said that it would also remove a line of Russian-made pizza oven pellets from sale in its department stores.

"We're working with our suppliers to review products that have components of Russian origin and will be seeking to mitigate further exposure to the region," a spokesperson said.

The Co-op, the first supermarket chain to announce such a move on Thursday, said that its decision was "a sign of solidarity with the people of Ukraine".

It took Russian Standard vodka off sale with immediate effect as it is "overtly marketed as being Russian" and is produced in the country, a spokesperson for the Co-op said.

Sainsbury's confirmed on Friday that it would, however, continue to sell JJ Whitley vodka products, after the manufacturer said it planned to move all production away from St Petersburg to Chorley in Lancashire.

"We support their announcement earlier in the week that they are moving all production to Chorley in the UK by the end of this month and will therefore continue to sell those products," it said.

According to reports in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Tesco is also considering renaming chicken Kiev to match the Ukrainian spelling of the capital city Kyiv.

It has not yet confirmed whether or not it will remove Russian-sourced products, but has said previously it is following UK government rules on trading with the country.

Elsewhere, other supermarkets in Europe have also taken action. The Netto discount chain has already stopped selling Russian products across its stores Germany, Poland and Denmark.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
×