Food suppliers to the Mere retail chain have been given the opportunity to recover goods belonging to them, the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture said.
Food suppliers are being asked to inform the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) about perishable food products of animal origin that are currently located at Mere stores or have been returned to suppliers in order to ensure compliance with food handling requirements, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Agriculture explained that, in response to concerns among food businesses over the distribution of food products following the closure of the Mere retail chain, experts from the ministry, the PVD, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Revenue Service and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) discussed the situation resulting from European Union (EU) sanctions imposed on companies operating the Mere retail chain in Latvia. The aim was to find solutions to problems involving food products supplied to the retailer.
The ministry said that a general administrative act issued by the FIU on August 6, 2026, allows suppliers, including food businesses, to recover goods belonging to them that are in the possession, custody or control of sanctioned companies.
No separate authorisation is required to recover these goods. Food suppliers, employees and sanctioned companies are permitted to communicate with one another and resolve practical and civil-law matters, provided they remain within the limits imposed by the sanctions regime, the ministry explained.
Funds belonging to sanctioned companies may be used to settle payments with food suppliers in accordance with the procedures established under the sanctions regime, the ministry noted.
The imposition of sanctions does not eliminate the companies’ obligations towards suppliers, but all payments must comply with sanctions requirements.
The authorities involved will continue coordinating the exchange of information to ensure a consistent and timely response while preventing sanctions from being circumvented or sanctioned companies from resuming their normal commercial activities. The Ministry of Agriculture noted that this is the first situation of its kind and that lessons have been learned and necessary improvements to the process have been identified.
State authorities also stressed that Latvian businesses are still being urged to end cooperation with persons linked to Russia. It is in Latvia’s security interests to end economic cooperation with Russia and to restrict as much as possible Russia’s ability to directly or indirectly target the assets of Latvian companies.
As previously reported, Sergei Schneider, a Russian businessman and owner of Latprodukti, the company operating the Mere retail chain, was included in the EU’s 21st package of sanctions. Mere was required to immediately cease its business operations in compliance with EU sanctions restrictions.
The founders and co-owners of Svetofor Group operate more than 2,200 stores in Russia and other countries under the Svetofor, Mere and MyPrice brands.
Schneider was added to the sanctions list for materially or financially supporting actions that undermine or threaten Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.
Latprodukti generated revenue of €31.57 million in 2024, an increase of 53% compared with 2023, but recorded a loss of €71,841, compared with a profit the previous year. The company’s financial results for 2025 have not yet been published.
Latprodukti was registered in 2020 and has share capital of €365,000, according to information from Firmas.lv. The company is wholly owned by Serbia-registered SKTrade DOO Beograd, while Schneider is its ultimate beneficial owner.
According to Firmas.lv, there were 12 Mere stores in Latvia, located in Riga, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jēkabpils, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Tukums, Valka and Ventspils.
Schneider also indirectly owns the Latvian branch of Lithuania’s Valiente. Until September 19, 2025, Valiente, which operated the Mere retail chain in Lithuania, was owned by five Russian citizens: Anna Schneider (66%), Rustam Kilizhekov (15%), Andrei Schneider, Sergei Schneider’s brother (12%), Valery Yakovlev (5%) and Andrei Veikulainen (2%).
However, Lithuanian news portal Delfi.lt reported in mid-October 2025 that the Russian citizens had transferred ownership of the company operating Mere stores in Lithuania to a company registered in Spain.
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