King Charles III Ends Royal Warrants for Cadbury and Unilever
King Charles III has ended royal warrants for Cadbury and Unilever, a blow to the two household names. The warrants, which recognize the companies as royal suppliers, allow them to feature the Royal Arms on their packaging. However, the list of warrants announced by Charles did not include Cadbury, which had held a warrant since Queen Victoria’s reign, or Unilever, a UK consumer goods giant.
No reason was given for the discontinuation of the warrants, as per royal protocol. Both Unilever and Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez had been criticized by Ukraine’s government for continuing to do business in Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, there is no indication that 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. Over 500 brands and companies now hold warrants, issued for a five-year period at a time. Mondelez and Unilever had previously held warrants, but will no longer be able to display the Royal Arms on their packaging.
In a statement, Mondelez said it was “proud to have previously held one” and “fully respect the decision.” Unilever stated that it was “proud of the long history” its brands had of supplying the royal household. According to the royal family’s website, warrants may not be renewed if the quality or supply of the product or service is insufficient.
Charles renewed warrants for firms including Heinz, Nestle, and John Lewis, while Queen Camilla appointed seven new warrant holders. Activist group B4Ukraine had written an open letter to Charles in June, urging him to drop companies including Mondelez and Unilever from the royal warrants list. Unilever has since sold its Russian subsidiary, ending its presence in the country. Mondelez, however, still operates three factories in Russia and sells its products there despite boycotts and calls for it to stop.