Posted by New Delhi: Nestle, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, stated a report by Public Eye, an investigative organisation based in Switzerland. This practice of Nestle goes against international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases, according to the report.
Samples of Nestle’s baby food products sold in Asia, Africa, and Latin America were sent to a Belgian laboratory by campaigners from Public Eye. The testing revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in products like Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children between six months and two years old, as reported by the Guardian.
However, in Nestle’s main European markets and the UK, there is no added sugar in the products for the infants. While some cereals aimed at older toddlers contain added sugar, products targeted at babies between six months and one year have none.
Insights from Public Eye report
Laurent Gaberell, Public Eye’s agriculture and nutrition expert, emphasised the need for Nestlé to address these concerns. Gaberell said, “Nestle must put an end to these dangerous double standards and stop adding sugar in all products for children under three years old, in every part of the world.”
The issue of obesity is particularly increasing in low- and middle-income countries, where the consumption of added sugars contributes to health problems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of overweight children under five in Africa has increased significantly since 2000.
Despite international guidelines recommending against added sugars in food for young children, it’s often challenging for consumers to discern whether a product contains added sugar just by looking at the packaging. This is compounded by the fact that labels often group naturally occurring sugars with added sugars under the same heading.
While specific guidance exists for the European region, recommending no added sugars for children under three, similar guidelines have not been explicitly outlined for other parts of the world. However, researchers argue that the European guidelines are relevant globally.
What Nestle spokesperson said
In response to the report, a Nestle spokesperson defended the company’s practices, saying, “We believe in the nutritional quality of our products for early childhood and prioritise using high-quality ingredients adapted to the growth and development of children.” The spokesperson also highlighted Nestle’s compliance with local regulations and international standards.
Nestle has claimed to have reduced the total amount of added sugars in its infant cereals portfolio by 11% worldwide over the past decade and continues to reformulate products to further reduce sugar content. Additionally, the company is phasing out sucrose and glucose syrup from “growing-up milks” aimed at toddlers worldwide.
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