The Swiss food company Nestlé is being criticized for baby food. According to an analysis by the Swiss organization Public Eye, which campaigns for compliance with human rights by companies based in Switzerland, the company adds sugar to baby food in some countries.
No added sugar was found in samples of the follow-on milk products sold by Nestlé in countries such as Germany, France and Great Britain, but it was found in countries in South America, Africa and Asia.
"Nestlé is making babies and toddlers addicted to sugar in lower-income countries," said the report, released Wednesday, a day before Nestlé's annual shareholder meeting. Public Eye called for signatures on a protest letter to the company. This calls for an immediate and worldwide ban on the addition of sugar and sweeteners in products for children under three years of age.
Nestlé stated: "Wherever we operate, our portfolio complies with local regulations or international standards, including labeling requirements and limits on carbohydrate content, which includes sugar."
Analyzes show added sugar in some countries
According to analyzes carried out by Public Eye and the International Infant Nutrition Action Network (Ibfan) in a Belgian laboratory, samples of certain follow-on milk products for young children from Germany, France and Great Britain did not contain added sugar. In samples from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Ethiopia and Thailand, between 1.6 and 6 grams of sugar per serving were added. In the worst case scenario, this is equivalent to more than a lump of sugar weighing 4 grams.
According to the analysis, no added sugar was found in Nestlé wheat porridge for babies aged six months and over in Germany and Great Britain, 4 grams were found in the same products in South Africa, more than 5 grams in Ethiopia and 6 grams in Thailand.
Nestlé: Range with and without added sugar in different markets
Nestlé said: "Our range of infant and toddler cereal products in Europe includes variants with and without added sugar. The same applies to several markets in Asia, Latin America and North America." And further: "We continue to develop and reformulate our infant cereal products to further reduce the content of added sugars without compromising on quality, safety and taste."
Nutrition experts argue that if children get used to the taste of sugar at an early age, they tend to turn to sugary products more often later on. This could lead to obesity or promote diseases such as diabetes. Nestlé was criticized in the 1970s for promoting baby milk powder in developing countries. Many mothers thought this was healthier than their own breast milk. Because clean water was not available in many places, it put babies in danger. However, the company has long emphasized: "We support the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of a baby's life."
