Vodka brand Absolut, the Swedish flagship of the French group Pernod Ricard, announced Tuesday to stop "with immediate effect" its exports to Russia. This decision was also criticised by the Swedish Prime Minister.
The company cited the need to protect its employees and partners in the face of "massive criticism in all its forms" The name absolut comes from "Absolut Rent Brännvin", which in Swedish means "absolutely clean brandy". Produced in Åhus in southern Sweden, its sales are around 100 million litres per year.