In spite of war and general decline, a dozens of firms and entrepreneurs are continuing their work on territories unrecognized “people’s” republics, providing residents of uncontrolled by Kyiv territories with assortment: groceries, beverages, meat products, consumer goods, etc.

Those entrepreneurs, who did not have time or opportunity to move out business and production capacities on the territory of Ukraine, were ought to face with a row of difficulties and specifics of doing the activity.

The decree that all entrepreneurs, working on the territory of “republics”, must pass the re-registration according to the new “legislation” has become the first experience and stumbling block. Not everyone wanted to work in the “legislative” field of “LPR/DPR” and the quantity of closed shops has increased for a third at the first day of a New Year.

However, Ukrainian marking of issued production is the one of the most interesting and paradox nuances of business in “republics”. Let’s talk about it in this article too.

“We’re still insane not to write “Made in LPR” on packs of cigarettes  

More than a year has been passed for the moment when aliens from the neighbor country had occupied the South-East of Ukraine, but packages of goods, produced in Luhansk and Donetsk still has the mark “made in Ukraine”. Why it happens, taking the widespread pressure of the republic authority on local entrepreneurs and fierce hate to the worm “Ukraine” itself?

There are a few reasons and conditionally they can be divided on a three. First is a banal: manufactures has the big store of the old pack and even the most pro-Russian businessmen don’t hurry up to waste money on new packages with “republic” marking. The realization of produced goods on the territory of Ukraine is the second reason.

“We’re keeping the supply of goods to Ukraine anyway. Let it be small volumes, but they’re exist, – one of the not large entrepreneurs of the cereal and groceries tells on condition of anonymity, – We still insane and not going to write “Made in LPR” on the packages. Who will buy our product after it? Everyone will spit on it”, considers the manufacturer. Such decision is justified, considering the “unrecognizing” of “LPR” and “DPR”.

Do major players want to lose Ukrainian sales market?

Huge “republic” manufacturers also are trading on the territory of Ukraine, including, of course, the keeping of Ukrainian marking. Meat products of ™ “Luganskie Delikatesy” (Luhansk meat factory), the meal of ™ “Dobrodiya”, owned by member of the Council of Ministers of “LPR” Zinaida Naden, soap, produced by Donetsk firm “Ukrainian industrial resources” owned by Akhmetov  were noticed on Ukrainian territories and there are a lot of such examples.

The reaction of customers on the appearance of such goods on the territory of Ukraine is different enough: from the wondering to perturbation and aggression. Some manufacturers acted prudently, re-registering on the territory of Ukraine, but continuing their activity on occupied territories. It’s interesting, that one of  the manufacturers of Donetsk ice-cream “Hercules” is “Lviv Khladokombinat”. Tricky?

Ukrainian marking is also kept by Luhansk manufacturer of the deficit milk goods ™ “Stanytsya” (“MTK” ltd) owned by Efremov clan.  

And some manufacturers are waiting for soon coming back of rebel territories under the control of Ukraine. It is the third reason. I know that Ukraine will soon come back. That’s why my goods will always have a huge mark “Made in Ukraine”, claimed one of local self employedю

Separatist cakes and republican covers for preserves

But some manufacturers walk circumspectly: they don’t mark country of origin on the good and write only region and city. Such thing has been done by manufacturers of carbonated water and drinks in Anthracite, taken away from labels word “Ukraine”, but left “Luhansk region”. The same things were done by “Plant of food products “Anjei”, located in Georgievka of Lutuhino district. It must be noticed that new labels were absolutely Russified. Earlier all information was on Ukrainian on them.

But “patriotic” manufacturers are happen in “republics”. One of the first glorious entrepreneurs of such producing is Luhansk self employed A. Baranov, whose cakes with marking of “LPR” appeared on slae in a lot of shops of “LPR” and even Ukraine. Rumors are saying that such cakes don’t have a success, maybe because of high price.

Also, covers for preserves from “LPR” were met on sale. Local dealers of Makeevka (Donetsk region) released the sunflower oil, “made in DPR”, but by Ukrainian standards.

At the same time, locals on the brink of survival haven’t been specially reading labels of goods, buying the most available and cheap from them.
Lilith Rebrova, special for informator.lg.ua