The Government of the Russian Federation has introduced a parallel import framework in which goods are brought into the country from a third party without the consent of the copyright holder. A prominent area where questions arise concerns automotive parts, including the supply of services and retail availability of spare components and consumables for foreign cars.
Za Rulem, Russia’s oldest and most authoritative automotive publication, posed a question on its official Viber channel to gauge opinions on whether the parallel import mechanism for spare parts should be considered a viable option. The following responses emerged from the channel’s subscribers.
Compiled from Viber Driving Survey data.
Nearly half of the respondents, 48 percent or 876 people out of 1,794, indicated that there is little point to the approach, noting that they have already relied on alternative, non-branded parts for a long period. A substantial segment, representing 26 percent or 472 participants, believes the measure may function only partially, and that shortages could still occur. About 10 percent, or 180 respondents, admitted they are not yet familiar with the concept of parallel import.
Only 6 percent, equating to 122 people, view the parallel import scheme as a completely reasonable crisis response. The remaining two groups, together making up 7 percent, offered more cautious or skeptical positions: one group sees a need for a longer period of adjustment, while the other doubts the system will work effectively at all before it proves its reliability.
- Questions persist about current spare parts inventories and ongoing price trends across different brands. The report provides a brand-by-brand breakdown of what is available and how prices have shifted over time.
- The publication’s content enhancements and discussions are now available for broader viewing through the platform RuTube.