The expert spoke about the ban on foreign words on signage

Starting from March 1, 2026, new requirements for the use of the Russian language in consumer information posted in publicly accessible places will come into force in Russia. They will affect signage and other information materials that are not advertising and are not legally required to provide information, but are brought to the attention of an unspecified number of people when trading and providing services. Alexey Ivliev, lawyer of Gorodissky & Partners, announced this in a conversation with Izvestia on December 25.

He explained that previously the requirement for the mandatory use of the Russian language applied to advertising and information that entrepreneurs were required to provide to consumers by law.

At the same time, inscriptions placed at the discretion of the business and not related to advertising could formally be executed in a foreign language. Federal Law No. 168-FZ of June 24, 2025 eliminates this gap by introducing Article 10.1 into the Law on Consumer Protection.

Starting in March 2026, the expert noted, the use of foreign words will be prohibited on signage and other planar structures placed in publicly accessible places when trading and providing services.

The requirements include the names of businesses and signs with informational or decorative inscriptions like WELCOME or SHOP, if they are intended for visitors. The restrictions apply to all companies working with consumers, regardless of their field of activity.

At the same time, the law allows the use of foreign words when they are completely duplicated in Russian, if the texts are identical in content and design, and also does not affect registered trademarks and trade names. In addition, the new requirements, as a general rule, do not apply to information on the Internet if it is not an advertisement.

For more information, see the Izvestia article.

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