"Taste and Bottle Shape Identical to Coca-Cola"... Russia Mass-Producing Fake Brands

After foreign companies suspended their operations in Russia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, similar brands emerged to replace them.
[Photo by Twitter]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] As foreign companies continue to withdraw from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, similar brands have emerged.

According to the Moscow Times in Russia, a local beverage manufacturer, Ochakovo, announced that it has developed a carbonated drink called "Cool Cola."

This was created as a substitute carbonated beverage after the American beverage manufacturer Coca-Cola suspended its operations in Russia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in March.

Fanta and Sprite were replaced by products called "Fancy" and "Street," respectively. These products introduced by Ochakovo resemble the original brands not only in bottle shape but also in signature colors. The website explains that "Cool Cola" has the iconic cola taste, "Fancy" offers the orange flavor found in Fanta, and "Street" contains lemon-lime juice with herbal extracts, similar to Sprite.

This is not the first time such substitute products have been launched in Russia. Three days after the American fast-food chain McDonald's announced the closure of hundreds of its stores across Russia in March, a similar brand called "Uncle Vanya" appeared. The logo of this brand resembles the letter B, which is similar to McDonald's iconic M logo rotated 90 degrees to the right.

So-called "knockoff" platform services have also appeared. This is because the Russian government blocked foreign platforms to control public opinion related to the Ukraine invasion. Instead of major social networking services (SNS) like YouTube and Instagram, alternatives such as RuTube and Rosgram have emerged.

Meanwhile, these similar brands in Russia are expected to increase in the future. As the war prolongs and Western sanctions intensify, more companies are ceasing their operations in Russia. An intellectual property expert predicted that the Russian government might approve counterfeit trademarks to prevent consumers from feeling deprived and to continue retaliating against Western sanctions.