The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation has included alcoholic beverages in the list of goods that can be imported into Russia as part of the so-called parallel imports.
The list includes Jack Danielʼs, Jim Beam, White Horse, Bushmills whiskey, Sauza tequila, Jägermeister, Kahlua and Malibu liqueurs.
Dozens of brands also appeared in the Toys, Games and Sports Equipment section. Among them are Adidas, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Ferrari, Mercedes, Disney, Marvel and DC Comics.
"Parallel import" is the term used to describe the import of goods into the country without the official permission of the right holder, carried out "in parallel" with official deliveries. After the imposition of sanctions, official deliveries of many goods ceased, but the Russian press continues to refer to imports without the permission of the copyright holder as "parallel", even if this channel for the import of goods remained the only one.
In August, Russian retailers asked the government to allow "parallel imports" of foreign alcohol, including champagne. Sanctions, as stated by the Association of Retail Companies, could deprive Russians of imported drinks by the New Year – this applies, in particular, to Moet, Veuve Clicquot, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's, Baileys, Jonnie Walker, Hennessy. According to this scheme, it was also proposed to import Jägermeister, Captain Morgan, Boddingtons, Heineken, Carlsberg and Guinness beer.