Is a Russian sausage still Russian, even if it’s made in China?

That’s the question dogging the thousands of self-proclaimed “Russian” convenience stores that have popped up across China in recent years.
With slogans like “fighting nation” or “hardcore products” and shelves stocked with vodka, chocolates, and matryoshka dolls, these stores promise a slice of Russian culture. Even their blue-and-white decor and branding evoke the country. But behind the scenes, many are more Chinese than they appear.

On Jan. 9, authorities in Shanghai announced cases against seven of the city’s 47 Russian-themed stores, accusing them of misleading customers about the origins of their products. Some stores have been ordered to close, while others face penalties or have been required to more clearly label domestically produced goods.

The action follows a wave of media investigations in December. A report by Jiemian News found a significant portion of the food products on offer at “Russian State Houses” — actually several similarly branded but distinct franchises with no ties to the Russian government — were produced in China.

A follow-up by business outlet Blue Whale Finance found that domestically produced products accounted for roughly 20% of items sold at Russian goods stores.

The spread of Russian goods in China stores dates to early 2022, when an e-commerce outlet associated with the Russian embassy went viral on Chinese social media, gaining nearly 200,000 followers in a day and selling out of most popular items.

There were four officially sanctioned Russian State Houses in China as of November, according to domestic media reports. Authorized by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and the Russian Export Development Center, they promote Russian-made goods to Chinese consumers.

But that total is dwarfed by the number of unofficial Russian product-related companies that have opened in China since 2022. A January search on Chinese industry intelligence platform Qichacha found 3,342 companies in China related to “Russian goods.” In the first 10 days of 2025 alone, 25 new Russian goods companies were registered.

Many are linked to Chinese franchises such as EBiiXiong, Emanduo, Okeshi, Russian Goods Select, and UNAVITA. These chains — which adopt similar branding to, but have no actual ties with the Russian embassy — promise to sell “Russian” goods to curious Chinese consumers.

Ads targeting potential franchisees have been promoted widely on Chinese social media. In a video posted to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, a person claiming to be the co-founder of the EbiiXiong chain says that a newly opened Russian goods store in the central city of Changsha earned 100,000 yuan ($13,700) in its first three days of operation.

Many of these claims have since been called into question, however, with some consumers questioning whether the whole business model is an “IQ tax” — a Chinese phrase for a scam targeting gullible shoppers.

On social media, many users have criticized the stores for false advertising. “I’m curious what the people selling ‘Russian mangoes’ were thinking,” reads one upvoted comment on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu.

Regulators across China have responded to the controversy by ordering inspections of Russian-themed stores.

In Shanghai, market officials announced the closure of some stores this week and ordered others to more clearly identify domestically produced goods. A social media account belonging to the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation posted a photo of a sign for a “Russian Goods Store” that had been hastily changed to “Sino-Russian Mutual Trade Goods Store.”

In Beijing, at least one store was closed after the owner failed to provide paperwork on its imported goods, according to local media.

Deng Haoxian, a Ph.D. candidate studying Russian public diplomacy and nation branding at Hong Kong Baptist University, said the appeal of the stores may be stronger among older generations. “In my family, that generation has a more favorable impression of Russia and might relate more deeply to Russian national narratives,” he told Sixth Tone.

While visiting a Russian goods store in Shenzhen as part of his fieldwork, Deng found many of its products were made in countries other than Russia, including Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and China. He also said two of the products for sale came from Ukraine, one of which was labeled as “Munich beer.”

Deng believes the stores are unlikely to have a long shelf life in China. “Most people visit out of curiosity and purchase very little, mostly for novelty’s sake,” he said.

Nevertheless, Deng said he took advantage of his trip to stock up on Russian-made liquor. While paying for a few bottles at the register, he was told he’d won a prize: A 50-ruble (3.7 yuan) banknote.

(Header image: The interior of a Russia-themed food store in Changsha, Hunan province, 2024. From Weibo)