Apple Products Sold in Moscow Despite Company’s Export Ban
A look at how Russia is acquiring Apple inventory.
By
March 26, 2024
Apple stopped all exports to Russia after they launched their invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Yet, nearly two years later, Russian customers can shop for iPhones, Macbooks, and the Apple Vision Pro at retail outlets in Moscow called re:Store.
Apple has not lifted its export ban to Russia, and the Apple Vision Pro was supposed to be sold exclusively in the U.S. at Apple retail stores.
So, how did re:Store get the inventory?
Russian companies buy Apple inventory in other countries to sell in their stores, per CNBC. They then mark up the prices – so the Apple Vision Pro costs $5,000 in Moscow instead of $3,500.
It’s not just Apple. Russia has taken popular Western brands and rebranded them to sell identical products at marked-up prices:
- Russia rebranded Lego as Cube World
- Russia rebranded McDonald’s as M
- Russia rebranded KFC as Rostic’s
- Russia rebranded Nike as NSP
- Russia rebranded Sephora as Isle of Beauty
- Russia rebranded Starbucks as Stars Coffee
