King Charles III has ended royal warrants for Cadbury and Unilever, which owns brands including Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s, in a blow to the household names.
Charles announced the second set of warrants of his reign late last week, recognizing the included brands and companies as royal suppliers and allowing them to feature the Royal Arms on their packaging.
But the list did not include British chocolatiers Cadbury, which had held a warrant since Queen Victoria’s reign in the 19th century, or UK consumer goods giant Unilever (UL).
No reason was given for the discontinuation of the pair’s warrants, as per royal protocol.
Both Unilever and Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez (MDLZ) had been criticized by Ukraine’s government for continuing dealings in Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Charles’ decision was announced six months after campaigners wrote an open letter to the monarch urging him to revoke their warrants, though there is no indication this was the reason for the move.
The warrants system began in the 15th century, as a way of celebrating suppliers of goods and services to Britain’s royal households.
More than 500 brands and companies now hold warrants, according to the Royal Warrant Holders Association. They are issued for a five-year period at a time, and each warrant is reviewed in the year before its expiration.
Mondelez said in a statement: “Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision.”
Unilever, meanwhile, said: “We are very proud of the long history our brands have supplying the royal household and of the warrants they have been awarded during this time, most recently by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
According to the royal family’s website, warrants “may not be renewed if the quality or supply for the product or service is insufficient, as far as the relevant Royal Household is concerned.”
Charles renewed warrants for firms including Heinz, Nestle and John Lewis, and Queen Camilla appointed seven new warrant holders, including hairdresser Jo Hansford and hat designer Philip Treacy.
Activist group B4Ukraine wrote an open letter addressed to Charles in June, urging him to drop companies including Mondelez and Unilever from the royal warrants list. The group said “the continued presence and financial support of these companies in Russia only serve to prolong the brutal war against Ukraine.”
Unilever said in October that it had concluded the sale of its Russian subsidiary to the local manufacturer Arnest Group, ending its presence in the country.
Mondelez has three factories in Russia and sells its cookies and snacks there despite boycotts and calls for it to stop from employees, investors and activists. Last year the company said it would make its business in Russia “standalone,” by establishing a self-sufficient supply chain.
