Nestle accused of adding sugar to baby food in developing countries, sparking global health outcry
Nestlé is facing intense criticism after a new report by Swiss-based watchdog Public Eye accused the company of adding sugar to baby food sold across Africa, Asia and Latin America, despite offering sugar-free versions of the same products in Europe. The investigation, conducted with the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), found that 93 percent of Nestlé’s baby food products in lower-income countries contain added sugar.
In contrast, Cerelac sold in Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom contains no added sugar, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
The report highlights wide variations in sugar levels: baby cereal in Thailand contains six grams of sugar per serving, in Ethiopia 5.2 grams, and in Pakistan 2.7 grams. Public Eye argues that this “unjustifiable and harmful double standard” contributes to rising childhood obesity and encourages lifelong sugar dependency, contradicting the World Health Organization’s recommendation that foods for children under the age of three should contain no added sugar.
Nestlé strongly denies any wrongdoing, calling the findings “misleading.” The company says sweetness is necessary to ensure children in certain regions accept and consume enough food, particularly in areas where malnutrition is widespread. It also maintains that all its recipes comply with national regulations.
With a 20 percent share of the global baby food market, valued at nearly $70 billion annually, Nestlé’s practices in emerging markets have a significant global impact. Public Eye and IBFAN are calling on the company to eliminate sugar from baby food worldwide and end what they describe as a dangerous double standard in children’s nutrition.
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