At first glance, the candy in convenience stores across London appeared to be regular Snickers. It had familiar wrapping, with a picture of a nougat and caramel bar encased in chocolate and, for any complaints, a toll-free number to call.
But the writing on the packaging was almost entirely in Cyrillic, Russia’s alphabet — and anyone calling the phone number had better speak Russian.
The packaging of one bar coated in white chocolate explains it is “Белый,” meaning “white.” Others say “cо вкусом пломбира,” meaning “with the taste of plombir” — a vanilla ice cream first manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1937.
The influx of these bars into Britain is being tracked by local officials who say that their sale breaches labeling laws because ingredients are not listed in English.
They are also an odd outlier at a time when wide-ranging trade restrictions on Russia because of the war in Ukraine have cut off the supply of many goods. Grocery chains across Britain largely stopped selling Russian food and alcohol, including brands like Russian Standard vodka, shortly after the invasion in 2022.
In the nearly four years since, Britain has joined countries around the world in trying to isolate Russia and cut off its economic lifelines. Among the items hit by sanctions are oil and gas, steel and other metals, seafood, alcohol, cigarettes and jewelry.
Most food is not specifically covered by the sanctions, but Russia has responded by banning the export of many food items to Europe and other countries. The presence of Russian-labeled candy alongside the rest of London’s confectionery is a reminder of how difficult it is to completely disconnect a major economy from the global flow of goods.
And it underscores the choices that companies around the world have been forced to make as they try to balance commercial imperatives against sanctions and their desire to support Ukraine. Many companies around the world ceased production in Russia or left entirely.
The maker of Snickers, Mars Wrigley, did not.
The U.S. confectionery giant announced in March 2022, just after the invasion, that it would not import from or export to Russia. But it said it would continue to produce food there. “We have decided to scale back our business and will refocus our efforts in Russia on our essential role in feeding the Russian people and pets,” it said, adding that any profits from its Russian business would go to “humanitarian causes.”
Asked about the appearance of Russian-language Snickers in British shops, the company said it could not prevent intermediaries from buying Snickers in Russia — or in neighboring countries such as Belarus — and reselling them in Western Europe.
“Snickers products with Russian-language packaging are not produced in the U.K,” Mars Wrigley U.K. and Ireland said in a statement. “However, when products are made in local markets and distributed to customers, we cannot control third parties later reselling them elsewhere. This may result in such products appearing in the U.K. We encourage customers to export and sell products only within their local market to ensure packaging is accessible for consumers.”
Some critics said the situation highlighted the company’s continuing commercial links with Russia.
“In this case, it appears that this is an entity based in Russia that has production facilities and is being supported by an ecosystem there,” said Ioannis Koliousis, a professor at Cranfield School of Management, a British business school.
“By buying these products, people in Britain are indirectly supporting the Russian economy because some of the money they spend is finding its way to Russia,” he said. “From an ethical viewpoint, this is the biggest issue that concerns me.”
The bars are not available in large supermarkets, but convenience store owners in London said they had bought them in good faith from wholesalers who specialize in supplying small retailers.
How they got to the wholesalers is still a mystery.
According to experts, intermediaries and food brokers may have spotted an opportunity to make a profit by buying in Russia because, in Britain, large Snickers bars are on sale at convenience stores for 1.30 pounds (about $1.75) or more, at least a third more than they sell for in Russia.
Dean Cooke, a food officer at the Chartered Standards Trading Institute, which represents officials who enforce consumer laws, said that officers around the country were aware of the influx of Russian Snickers and that he had bought one in North London.
“It looks as though they’re being picked off the shelf in the country of origin,” he said, “maybe by a food broker or something like that, then sold on, and they’re making their way here.” He added, “It’s not permitted if it doesn’t have any English labeling — most importantly, allergen labeling.”
Mr. Cooke works in Slough, where Mars’s British operation has a factory. He said he had scheduled a call with the company to discuss the issue, and urged Britons to avoid products without English-language information.
Asked whether he planned to eat his Russian Snickers bar, Mr. Cooke said, “I haven’t decided,” before adding, “I think it’s more likely to go into evidence.”
Stephen Castle is a London correspondent of The Times, writing widely about Britain, its politics and the country’s relationship with Europe.
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