The chance of U.Ok.-based well being meals and pure cures retailer Holland & Barrett being caught up in world occasions would, earlier than the previous week, be at finest described as ‘slim’.

The corporate first opened its doorways in 1870 and has grown to turn out to be Europe’s largest well being and wellbeing retailer, providing nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements, pure magnificence, lively vitamin and ‘free from’ meals, with shops throughout the U.Ok., Europe, Asia and the Center East.

But right here we’re, in unprecedented occasions as the nice Russian retail decoupling builds up a head of steam.

Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman stepped down from the board of the corporate that owns Holland & Barrett this morning after being slapped on a sanctions listing by the European Union.

His non-public fairness agency Letter One purchased the retailer – finest often known as a well-liked excessive road and mall primarily based vitamin and complement vendor – from rival buyout group Carlyle for $2.4 billion in 2017.

Nonetheless, he and enterprise companion Petr Aven have now resigned from the board of Letter One, which is chaired by banker Lord Mervyn Davies, a former U.Ok. Labour authorities minister.

Billionaire Fridman and Aven set the agency up in 2013 following the $13.4 billion sale of their stake in oil group TNK-BP to Rosneft. The pair nonetheless personal nearly 50% of LetterOne.

For its half, Holland & Barrett mentioned: “We’re not affected by any sanctions, nor will we anticipate to be.”

Fridman Added To Sanctions Record

On Monday the E.U. added Fridman to its sanctions listing following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, describing him as “a high Russian financier and enabler of Putin’s internal circle”, whereas Aven was described as one in all Putin’s “closest oligarchs” by the E.U.

In consequence, the E.U. has frozen his belongings in member nations and banned him from travelling throughout the bloc. Fridman mentioned he was shocked by the allegations and would contest them.

Fridman and Aven added that they might “contest the spurious and unfounded foundation for the imposition of those sanctions vigorously and thru all means accessible to them”.

The information comes after a Twitter backlash over the Russian possession of Holland & Barrett, with many posters threatening to boycott the retailer.

The information comes as many corporations are ‘decoupling’ from Russia together with, from the world of retail, Asos, Boohoo, Adidas, Nike

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, Apple

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and H&M, with extra certain to observe because the reputational injury of being related to Russia will increase amongst shoppers.

This week Russian e-commerce large Ozon had its shares suspended on the Nasdaq, with is inventory worth in free fall.

Holland & Barrett International Enlargement

The transfer comes at a time of speedy enlargement for Holland & Barrett which, in January, signed a brand new partnership deal to open shops throughout Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

The well being and sweetness retailer has teamed up with FOURLIS Group, which already operates shops throughout these territories for manufacturers similar to IKEA, Intersport and Athlete’s Foot. It goals to open 120 Holland & Barrett shops over time, with the primary shops and a Holland & Barrett web site scheduled to launch concurrently this 12 months.

Holland & Barrett chief business officer, Alex Dower, mentioned on the time: “H&B is quick turning into a real world model, with H&B product available in shops and on-line in 18 nations all over the world with extra deliberate for the long run.”

Holland & Barrett additionally acquired at-home magnificence companies firm Blow late final 12 months. The Blow app serves prospects throughout London, the South East of England, Birmingham and Manchester, providing a variety of magnificence companies.

The corporate has 1,600 shops worldwide, of which almost 900 are in abroad markets, and employs greater than 7,000 workers. Its largest retailer estates exterior the U.Ok. are Hong Kong, India and the Netherlands. It has no shops in Russia.