General Mills doesn’t have a meaningful footprint in Russia, which makes its decision to freeze advertising activity and capital investments register mostly as symbolic. The company said it’s currently focused on the refugee crisis as people flee Ukraine, including by donating food and water to local charities. It framed the announcement as in “Response to question of Operations in Russia.”
Brands have come under intense pressure to react to the Ukraine crisis, which has stretched on for weeks. Some that initially remained in Russia faced strong backlash, a potential warning sign for companies that consumers view as dragging their feet in cutting ties. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Pepsi were among those that saw trending boycott hashtags on social media from people angered that they would continue to do business in the region.
