King urged to revoke royal warrants of Cadbury and Marmite-owner Unilever over Russia links

The King has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine - Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA

King Charles has been urged to revoke the royal warrants of Cadbury and Marmite-owner Unilever because of connections to Russia.

Ukrainian campaigners sent a letter to the King ahead of his birthday on June 15 urging him to strip companies that continue to operate under Vladimir Putin’s regime of the coveted awards, which are given out to companies that supply the Royal Household.

B4Ukraine highlighted Bacardi, Nestlé, Unilever and Mondelez, the US parent of Cadbury, as businesses that should have the award revoked. Campaigners claimed the companies were indirectly contributing to the Russian war effort by continuing to maintain operations in the country.

Campaigners wrote in their letter this week: “The continued presence and financial support of these companies in Russia only serves to prolong the brutal war against Ukraine.

“We urge the Royal Family to stand in solidarity with Ukraine by demonstrating that companies contributing to the suffering and devastation in Ukraine will not be bestowed with the privilege and honour of holding a royal warrant.

“Such a decisive step would not only demonstrate the solidarity of the Royal Family with Ukraine but also convey that the Family does not condone the continued presence of these companies in Russia.”

B4Ukraine, a coalition of pro-Ukrainian organisations, has been trying to raise the issue with Buckingham Palace since February, when they sent an initial letter to the King, but so far have received no response. The group has previously stopped short of directly asking His Majesty to revoke companies’ warrants.

Royal warrants are given out to companies that supply the Royal family, spanning everything from food and drink to electronics and furniture. The King and Queen Camilla issued their own Warrants in May.

Unilever, Nestlé, Bacardi and Cadbury were not given warrants by the King or Queen in the latest round of awards. However, the companies still hold warrants given by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Bacardi, which owns Martini, holds a warrant to supply the late Queen with vermouth while Cadbury holds a warrant to supply cocoa and chocolate. Nestlé and Unilever both hold general warrants for food and household goods.

The Royal household is currently reviewing the status of hundreds of royal warrants given out by the late Queen. A decision on which companies will retain them will come later this year.

The King has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine. He said in February: “I continue to be greatly encouraged that the United Kingdom and our allies remain at the forefront of international efforts to support Ukraine at this time of such great suffering and need. My heart goes out to all those affected, as I remember them in my thoughts and prayers.”

Western companies have come under pressure to cut ties with Russia as the war in Ukraine rages on. Some have exited the country altogether, while others have scaled down their businesses but remained there.

Mondelez has split its Russian business off into a separate entity, scaled it back and pledged more than $15m (£12m) to Ukrainian citizens, but continues operations there.

The chocolate maker was criticised after its chief executive, Dirk Van de Put, claimed earlier this year that investors did not “morally care” that it remained in Russia.

Mondelez itself does not have a warrant, but Cadbury has been a warrant-holder since 1854 when it was given one by Queen Victoria.

Unilever faced protests outside its London headquarters last summer over its decision to keep manufacturing and selling essential goods in Russia. Its chief executive, Hein Schumacher, has argued this is the “least worst” option because, were Unilever to leave Russia, its assets could be seized by allies of Putin.

A spokesman for Mondelez said: “Cadbury is deeply proud to have been granted its first royal warrant in 1854 and has been a holder of a royal warrant from Her Late Majesty The Queen since 1955.”

A Nestlé spokesman said the company was proud to have a warrant and pointed to a 2022 statement in which it said it had “drastically reduced our portfolio in Russia”. Nestlé added it was only providing essential goods in Russia and had cut all capital investment there.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment. Unilever and Bacardi were contacted for comment.

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