December 01, 2019

Rospotrebnadzor, Explained


Rospotrebnadzor, Explained
Who is helps citizens with Russia's coronavirus response? Image by www.vperemen.com via Wikimedia Commons

From deciding what school children can eat to regulating tipping practices, one state agency is both prevalent in the news and quite a mouthful to pronounce: Rospotrebnadzor.

What is the story behind this government agency, and why is it so often referenced in questions of public policy?

Here is a brief breakdown.

The agency’s full name is the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing («Федеральная служба по надзору в сфере защиты прав потребителей и благополучия человека»). The shortened name comes from the beginnings of the Russian words for “Russian” («российский»), “consumer” («потребитель»), and “oversight” («надзор»).

It was founded in September 1922 and underwent some smaller changes throughout the decades to become its current form, which reports directly to the government of Russia.

According to the agency's website, the goal of Rospotrebnadzor is to “provide oversight and control of wellbeing and consumer rights and protection of the citizens of the Russian Federation.” It is an offshoot of the executive branch that forms and enforces state policy regarding consumer rights protection. This can stretch from dealing with state epidemiological guidelines (such as helping provide guidance on Russia’s coronavirus response) to “monitoring in the field of consumer rights protection.” Basically, Rospotrebnadzor is Russia’s version of a consumer rights watchdog, and it does like to bark when it sees potential risks to Russian citizens.

See Also

Russia's Political Tool

Russia's Political Tool

December 20, 1997 is the 80th anniversary of the KGB. We look back at the sordid history of this nefarious institution.
No Ketchup Here

No Ketchup Here

A Russian agency has banned some foods from school cafeterias in Russia, including ketchup.
How to Survive in Russia

How to Survive in Russia

This week's Odder News features three survival stories: survival in the Russian wilderness, on the internet, and in a world filled with cell phones.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955