Russia closes McDonalds restaurants
Amid tensions with the west and following tit-for-tat economic sanctions, Russia has closed four McDonald's restaurants and has put many more of the company's 430 outlets under investigation due to sanitation concerns.
Russia's consumer regulator, Rospotrebnadzor, said the restaurants had made "administrative violations" and been found to breach sanitary laws, according to the local RIA Novosti newswire.
"Multiple violations of sanitary norms were detected in the sourcing of food and waste disposal in McDonald's restaurants during inspections carried out between the 18th and 20th of August," the watchdog said in an official statement.
McDonald's said on its website that it was reviewing the regulator's claims and added that its "top priority is to provide safe and quality products" for its customers.
It said it "will do everything to ensure that the restaurants open as soon as possible."
In early August, the Russian government signed a decree banning the import of beef, pork, poultry, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, cheese, milk and dairy products from the EU, Australia, Canada, Norway and the US.
The move came in response to sanctions imposed on Russia for their support of pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine.
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