I’m not sure if you're being ironic or not, since ‘regional taste preferences’ is a somewhat famous excuse brands frequently use to justify selling inferior-quality products (think less meat, less nuts, less fruit, more unhealthy filler) under the same name in different parts of Europe. I recall it being a major topic in our elections several years back, but I don't think anyone has really done anything about it.
Coming from soviet union trash a lot of foreign products were god sent. Of course for many point of reference was farmers markets so decline must’ve been apparent too.
In my circles such mutterings would be seem as populism and woowoo crap.