Russia halts sales of Armenian mineral water over safety concerns

Russia’s national labeling system, Honest Mark (Chestny Znak), has suspended the sale of specific batches of Armenian Jermuk mineral water across both physical and online retail stores.

Revaz Yusupov, Deputy Director General of the Center for Research in Perspective Technologies (the system's operator), confirmed that 338,000 bottles currently in circulation have been blocked pending the results of an official investigation, News.Az reports, citing RBC.

The suspension was triggered by a formal directive from Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer safety watchdog. The agency emphasized the need for "urgent measures to prevent potential harm to the life and health of Russian citizens," citing "violations of mandatory requirements" as the primary reason for the freeze.

The restriction specifically targets products manufactured on February 17, 2026, and March 5, 2026. According to Yusupov, these bottles will not reach consumers until the verification process is complete.

This move follows a major safety intervention in 2024, when the labeling system blocked 2.5 million bottles of Jermuk after a resident in North Ossetia was fatally poisoned by a bottle that contained vinegar instead of mineral water. This latest action represents a preemptive measure to ensure public safety regarding the newly flagged batches.

News.Az