The auto parts store Auto-Suni in the city of Lappeenranta (Finland) refused to sell spare parts to the Russians. The directive comes from importers and manufacturers of spare parts and is based on EU sanctions against Russia, writes the Finnish edition Kauppalehti.
We are talking about customers who wanted to buy a large batch of spare parts. According to Antti Myakitalo, Auto-Suni’s maintenance director, they know there has been a shortage of spare parts in Russia since the raid began.
“We don’t sell spare parts to customers who then resell them. The contracts prohibit it. We only sell to contracted repair shops and Finnish private customers who use them for their cars.”
For example, when someone orders 15 pieces of oil filters, it is clear that they are intended for resale. This means they go to the dealer, not the private car owner, he notes.
The store’s suppliers are European car manufacturers that currently do not supply spare parts to Russia. That’s why the Russians are trying to buy spare parts to get around the sanctions. Although there were only isolated cases, Russian customers are decreasing every day. But if the spare part is exported, the store will not sell it. For business, these are insignificant losses, Myakitalo noted.
He declined to comment on the policies of other local stores.