Putin seizes Nestle's Russian assets by presidential decree as KitKat maker weighs its options

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Vladimir Putin has signed a presidential decree transferring control of Nestle's Russian operations to the Kremlin, in a move that also targets French supermarket chain Auchan. Nestle has confirmed it is reviewing all available options in response to the seizure.

The takeover was ordered directly by presidential decree, giving it the full force of Russian state authority.

Auchan, one of France's biggest supermarket chains, was simultaneously targeted alongside the Swiss food giant.