Western sanctions not affecting too much. Russia import Western brand products in bulk from China where these are sold.

[JaguarWarrior]

 

[Tshering22]

Russian obsession with Western brands is mind-boggling. They don't want to import cheaper stuff from other countries that offer the same quality at a lower price. This perceived prestige actually further causes them to be import-dependent on products they can make in-house or import from fellow BRICS countries at less than the price. Chilean wine beats French mid-range wines by a wide margin.

Similarly, Brazilian pork, Colombian coffee, Chinese agricultural products and Indian tea and dairy products are much superior to anything that Europe offers. Russians import tea from England which is just an overpriced version of what we sell and rebranded! The leaves are sourced from Indian tea gardens and yet Ruskies pay in sterling instead of paying us in rupees.

 

[JaguarWarrior]

Russian obsession with Western brands is mind-boggling. They don't want to import cheaper stuff from other countries that offer the same quality at a lower price. This perceived prestige actually further causes them to be import-dependent on products they can make in-house or import from fellow BRICS countries at less than the price. Chilean wine beats French mid-range wines by a wide margin.

Similarly, Brazilian pork, Colombian coffee, Chinese agricultural products and Indian tea and dairy products are much superior to anything that Europe offers. Russians import tea from England which is just an overpriced version of what we sell and rebranded! The leaves are sourced from Indian tea gardens and yet Ruskies pay in sterling instead of paying us in rupees.

More brands. More competition. It benefits the consumer.

 

[Tshering22]

More brands. More competition. It benefits the consumer.

From a Russian point of view, it is a loss to their forex reserves. They have this association that European products are the only ones good for their consumers without exploring other countries. I can understand that the oligarchs are rich, but the common Russians are also obsessed with this which the Russian state fuels.

Hopefully, with this war, they will diversify their imports.