Effective March 1, 2026, amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation "On Consumer Protection" come into force, significantly changing the approach to the use of foreign-language designations on signs and other visual elements related to providing information to consumers. These changes affect small and medium-sized businesses as well as large chains, as they effectively establish a new mandatory standard for the visual layout of urban environments.
1. Mandatory Use of the Russian Language on All Consumer-Facing Objects
The amendments establish that:
- all signs, indicators, information plates, notices, and other elements intended for consumers must be presented in the Russian language;
- duplication of text in the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation and in foreign languages is allowed, but only after the Russian version;
- the requirements apply to any designations that a consumer perceives as information influencing the choice of a service or product, including:
- "entrance/exit"
- "open/closed"
- "sale"
- "price"
- and other similar indications.
Thus, the Russian language becomes the unconditional basic standard for all consumer information.
2. Prohibition of "Foreign" Names for Residential Complexes
The legislation introduces a direct prohibition on the use of foreign words and phrases when assigning names to:
- residential complexes;
- microdistricts and other similar types of properties.
This aims to prevent misleading consumers and to ensure uniformity in the linguistic layout of territories.
3. Exception: Use of Registered Trademarks
A key element of the amendments is the possibility of placing foreign-language words on signs only if they:
- are registered trademarks or service marks;
- are included in the State Register of Trademarks;
- are used strictly in the form in which they are registered.
Important Clarification
Any discrepancy between the sign and the registered designation — even a single letter, a minor graphic change, a font substitution, or rearrangement of elements — is regarded as a violation and may serve as grounds for issuing a ruling on an administrative offense.
In effect, the legislation introduces a requirement for identical use of a trademark:
- without adaptations;
- without transformations;
- without "localizations" or creative interpretations.
4. Rebranding and Consequences for Right Holders
If a company changes the spelling, graphics, style, or linguistic presentation of a trademark after registration (for example, if a Russian-language sign is replaced with a Latin-script version), it is necessary to:
- file a new application for registration;
- use the old version of the mark only until the date the new legislation comes into force.
Use of an unregistered version after March 1, 2026, creates a risk of administrative liability.
Recommendation: conduct a brand audit in advance, especially in cases where:
- signs use Latin letters;
- there is mixed spelling (Latin + Cyrillic);
- the brand contains foreign words or transliteration;
- a graphic style is used that differs from the registered version.
5. Purpose of the Amendments
The package of amendments is aimed at:
- strengthening the status of Russian as the state language;
- ensuring the accessibility and clarity of consumer information;
- preventing situations in which foreign designations are used for marketing purposes without actual trademark rights.
For businesses, this means the need to ensure brand use in strict compliance with the law, minimizing risks of nonconformity between signage and the data in the official register.
6. Practical Recommendations for Right Holders
The Krasnodar office of IPPRO recommends that companies take the following steps in advance:
Verify compliance of signs with registered trademarks.
The comparison must account for graphics, spelling, letter case, shape, and stylistics.
Conduct a brand audit.
If versions of the mark are used that are not present in the register, prepare a new application.
Assess risks and timelines.
Considering the registration period (on average 8–14 months), new applications should be filed as soon as possible.
Check local brand elements.
Latin-script inscriptions on facades, in navigation, and in interior indicators also fall under regulation if they are accessible to consumers.
Prepare internal rules for trademark use.
This is especially important for chain businesses and franchise systems.
The legislative changes create both risks and opportunities. Companies that proactively ensure compliance with new requirements will be able to avoid administrative liability and strengthen their brand protection. IPPRO provides comprehensive support at all stages: from audit and risk assessment to trademark registration and development of corporate brand usage standards.
For foreign companies, the new regulation may indeed become a serious challenge. Many brands that are familiar on the global market look different in Russian transliteration, and at times — unfamiliar even to the local consumer. And this concerns not only internationally known names: there is an entire range of brands that have long become part of the Russian environment, yet by origin remain foreign. For example, 'Khalva', 'Fix Price', 'Good Look', 'Home Coffee' — all of them would be perceived entirely differently if written in Latin script.
For the Russian market, such adaptation is not a new phenomenon, and, as practice shows, businesses tend to find workable solutions quite quickly. This is more of a routine, technological stage rather than a dramatic shift.
It will be considerably more difficult for neighboring jurisdictions, which will likely move in the same direction and tighten their own language policies. As a result, we may see a form of symmetry: on foreign markets, signs will appear under the same rules, now featuring 'our' names — such as 'Kroshka Kartoshka', 'Mumu', 'Yolki-Palki' — recorded in registers and required to be reproduced exactly.
This is a normal stage in the development of regulation: states seek to ensure the priority of the national language, and it is important for businesses to take this into account in advance, adjusting their brand policies and legal strategies for the use of trademarks.