Australian brands are joining a global movement to boycott Russian liquor products amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
ALDI Australia has become the latest company to pull Russian-made spirits from shelves, and will not restock them for the "foreseeable future".
"Any remaining stock of Russian spirits that were available to customers from previous special buys have been pulled from ALDI Australia’s shelves," an ALDI spokesperson said.
"Additionally, all planned special buys of Russian vodka have been removed for the foreseeable future."
Coles Group has made a similar move at its Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice stores.
A Coles Liquor spokesperson said following discussions with suppliers, the business had "resolved to remove a number of Russian-sourced drinks from sale".
"The withdrawal will be executed across our store network in the coming days," the spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
On Monday, Endeavour Group — which owns more than 340 hotels, retailers such as Dan Murphy's, BWS, CellarMasters, Langton's and alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings — announced that it would also boycott products of Russian origin across its portfolio.
"As an organisation, Endeavour Group is deeply concerned with the situation in Ukraine and we join the calls for peace," an Endeavour Group spokesperson said in a statement.
Metcash, which is behind brands such as IGA Liquor, Cellarbrations, Thirsty Camel and The Bottle-O, said many of its stores were independently owned and operated and stock decisions were made by store owners.
But corporate-owned liquor stores would cease stocking Russian-made products, a Metcash spokesperson said.
Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra said the nation's retail community "is united in its condemnation of Russia and their ongoing military action in Ukraine".
"We note that some Australian businesses have publicly announced boycotts on Russian products, and we fully support them in the actions they’ve taken," Mr Zahra said.
"We understand a number of other businesses are currently looking at similar bans on the importation and distribution of Russian goods.
"It’s up to individual businesses to determine their own actions in this area."
It's understood Woolworths has reviewed its supermarket supply chain and found no products sold in its supermarkets have been manufactured in Russia.
'A symbolic and important act'
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) co-chair Stefan Romaniw welcomed the liquor boycott.
"These acts are symbolic and important. Every possible signal needs to be sent to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and the Russian leadership that the world condemns what the Russian Federation is doing," Mr Romaniw said.
He said the Australian government needed to review all trade with Russia "to apply maximum pressure" on Mr Putin.
Australia imported about $210 million worth of goods from Russia in 2020, according to Export Finance Australia data, making it the nation's 48th largest trading partner.
Russian-made spirits make up less than one per cent of Australia's annual spirit imports, according to data from research firm IBISWorld.
The AFUO's position statement calls for world leaders to impose tougher financial sanctions against Russia, targeting, among other things, all state-owned enterprises and foreign investment.
It also wants an internationally-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine, more action to isolate Russia diplomatically, for NATO forces to be deployed to Ukraine, and increased financial and humanitarian aid.
Sanctions imposed by the Morrison government directly target Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu, as well as Russian oligarchs, banks and members of parliament.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison to punish Russia, and has floated the idea of banning all trade and expelling foreign diplomats.
Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said the party would back the federal government if it decided to ratchet up sanctions and ban all trade with Russia.
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour's military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
Seb Richardson, Max O'Keefe and Ella O'Shea empty bottles of Russian vodka out the front of a BWS store in Erskineville, NSW, on Tuesday, 1 March. Credit: Supplied
Overseas boycotts
It comes amid a push in North America to boycott Russian-made alcohol.
Last week, Utah Governor Spencer Cox became the latest to act, instructing the state's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to remove all Russian-produced and branded products from the shelves of its retail stores.
In issuing the executive order, Mr Cox joined the governors of New Hampshire, Ohio and Pennsylvania in taking what is largely a symbolic gesture of support for besieged Ukraine, which came under attack by Russian military forces last week.
"We will do our part to push back on the Russian invaders and stand with our sisters and brothers in Ukraine," said Mr Cox. He also said that Utah would review all state procurements to check for any Russian ties.
The boycott is unlikely to have a tangible impact. Only 1.2 per cent of United States vodka imports came from Russia in the first half of 2021, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, which tracks such data.
In Canada, liquor stores in the provinces of Manitoba and Newfoundland said they were removing Russian spirits, while Ontario, Canada's most populous province, also directed the Liquor Control Board Of Ontario to withdraw all Russian products.
In Ontario alone, all products produced in Russia will be removed from 679 stores.
"The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC), along with other Liquor jurisdictions throughout Canada, has made the decision to remove products of Russian origin from its shelves," the NLC Liquor Store said in a tweet.
With additional reporting by Reuters.
