Russian vodka pulled from Oregon shelves
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Photo by Yanik Flowers on Unsplash
UPDATED: 6:15 PM, 2/28/22
KFN asked OLCC about the repercussions to liquor store owners and if they would be hit with a financial loss regarding the removal of the liquor. OLCC Spokesperson, Bryant Haley responded, “Liquor store owners will not be on the hook for these items. We are working with stores to store the bottles for the short term and will work through the issue for a long-term solution in the near future.”
Today the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC) directed the operators of Oregon’s independently owned liquor stores to stop selling all Russian manufactured distilled spirits. The OLCC has sequestered the remaining supply of Russian spirits in its Portland warehouse.
The following Russian manufactured liquor products below are no longer available for purchase:
Across the state, about 5,000 bottles of Russian-made liquor are currently for sale in 281 liquor stores. More than 6,200 bottles remain in the OLCC warehouse distribution center. Effective immediately, liquor stores have started removing all bottles of Russian-made liquor from their store shelves, and the OLCC has stopped fulfilling orders for those products from its warehouse.
The OLCC is taking this action as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Removing these products aligns with other states that have acted to ban the sale of Russian made products as a part of economic sanctions against Russian operated businesses. Economic sanctions against the Russian government are designed to bring this conflict to an end.
As Oregon Governor Kate Brown has reflected, “The actions of the Russian Government are not the actions of the Russian people. We value our Russian community here in Oregon, and many Russian families are being impacted by this conflict.”
Oregon Liquor stores are also prohibited from fulfilling any customer “special order” requests for Russian manufactured liquor.
Earlier in the day, former House Republican leader and State Representative Christine Drazan urged Governor Brown to stop sales of Russian liquor in Oregon. “The people of Ukraine are bravely standing up to a totalitarian regime that has invaded their country,” said Drazan. “We must send a message of solidarity with Ukraine by halting the sale of Russian-sourced liquor in Oregon. I urge the governor to take this action without delay.”
Consumers can still find all other brands of vodka including those branded with Russian names, but not purchased from distilleries located in Russia, for sale in Oregon liquor stores.
“The OLCC understands that there are times when we must respond to a higher calling in the interest of humanity, and this is a but a small step the OLCC and the State of Oregon can take,” said Paul Rosenbaum, Chair of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.
Oregon joins several other states, as well as Canada, when Governor Brown ordered these products off shelves.