Russia has suspended the import and sale of some alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks — including Nabeghlavi and Coca-Cola — from several key Georgian producers, Russian media outlet RBC reported, citing a document from the Russian consumer rights and public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, as well as sources from the “alcohol market” and retailers.
Among the producers subject to “temporary sanitary measures” are Nabeghlavi mineral water produced by Healthy Water, Coca-Cola produced in Georgia, beer produced by Georgian Beer Company, wines produced by Teliani Valley, Tbilvino, and Wineman, as well as wine and cognac produced by Askaneli Brothers. The report does not indicate the period of suspension.
The outlet says that according to the Rospotrebnadzor document, “a temporary sanitary measure was introduced to suspend the import and circulation within the country of products that do not comply with established requirements for organoleptic and physicochemical indicators, as well as safety indicators.”
RBC quoted representatives of the retail industry, including the Association of Companies of Omnichannel Retail Trade (ACORT) and Auchan, the Russian subsidiary of French retailer Auchan recently placed under temporary administration by Russian authorities, as confirming that the products were being removed from stores following instructions from Rospotrebnadzor.
Zurab Margvelashvili, director of Tbilvino, one of the companies whose production has been suspended, told TV Pirveli on October 10 that his colleagues had shared the information with the company the day before. He called the reason reportedly cited by Moscow about failure of companies to comply with the requirements “made-up,” comparing the suspension with 2006 embargo imposed by Russia on Georgian products.
In spring 2006, Russia similarly banned the imports of Georgian wine and mineral water, a move seen at the time as part of Moscow’s strategy to put pressure on the westward-looking Tbilisi.
