Some international brands such as Ikea have already suspended operations in Russia, but Leroy Merlin, Auchan or Decathlon have been more prudent since the start of the Russian invasion, and the market for these three brands is far from insignificant, controlled by the Mulliez family.
In general, not very talkative French brand specializing in DIY Leroy Merlin declined any request to comment on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, the Ikea brand, its competitor in some products, has announced that it is suspending its activities in Russia and Belarus, where the Swedish giant employs about 15,000 people in 17 stores and three production sites.
Leroy Merlin’s presence is even more massive. In Russia, the group claims on its website 36,000 employees working in 107 hypermarkets and 62 cities. In terms of trade turnover, the country led by Vladimir Putin is also not insignificant for the group: in 2020, Leroy Merlin declared 4.2 billion euros of operating revenue there (the equivalent of his business), its second largest market after France (6.7 billion euros).
Auchanrequested by Agence France-Presse (AFP) is limited to “a call for peace in this area” without further comment. The chain of stores operates 231 stores in Russia with a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, which is more than 10% of its total income from ordinary activities in 2021, 30.5 billion euros. With a presence in Russia since 2002, the group employs over 30,000 people and advocates a local approach, especially for its suppliers, as it does in Ukraine, where it employs 5,000 people. He also operates a store in Crimea through his Russian branch.
Another sign of the Mullies galaxy, Decathlon also present in Russia since 2006 with 60 stores and an e-commerce site in 25 Russian cities. The brand has a significant presence in the Moscow region, where 22 of its stores are located. The brand, also present in Ukraine, announced at the end of February that it had “frozen” its activities on site, “logically not exposing” its 150 employees on site “to a situation that does not fully guarantee their safety. “. There are 4 shops, as well as an online sales site.