Sugar In Baby Food, Child Labour Allegations: Nestle's Past Controversies

Nestle, one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, has found itself entangled in a myriad of controversies over the years. From the infamous Maggi noodle ban and allegations of child labour, the company has faced its fair share of scrutiny.

Adding sugar in baby food

A recent report has once again put Nestle in the spotlight, revealing differences in Nestle's baby food products across different regions. While products sold in Europe were found to be free of added sugars, those distributed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America contained them. This revelation is a cause for concern, as sugar is typically not recommended for infants due to its potential health risks.

The report was published by Public Eye, a Swiss organisation known for its investigative work and public advocacy, in collaboration with the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). The findings were derived from tests conducted on Nestle products in a Belgian laboratory. 

The report titled "How Nestle gets children hooked on sugar in lower-income countries" called out the brand for using different nutritional standards in its products depending on the country. It also blamed the company for not clearly stating the quantity of sugar on its packaging. 

Maggi banned in India

In 2015, Nestle's favourite Maggi noodles were banned in India after it was found that the product contained more-than-permissible levels of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) after being tested by Indian food safety regulators. 

The noodles claimed to have "no added MSG" but test results revealed MSG and lead content exceeding Nestle India's claims by over 1,000 times.

As a result, several states imposed a ban on the sale and distribution of Maggi noodles, and Nestle had to withdraw the product from the market temporarily. Later, after thorough testing and discussions with food safety authorities, Nestle resumed the sale of Maggi noodles in India after they were declared safe for consumption. 

Banned in US and Europe for discouraging breastfeeding

In the 1970s, Nestle discouraged breastfeeding to push their baby formula as a superior option, even though there was no solid proof to support this claim. This triggered a widespread boycott of Nestle goods, which eventually extended to Europe. The boycott went on from 1977 to 1984, when Nestle agreed to follow an international marketing code by the World Health Organization (WHO). This move led to the end of the boycott. 

Child labour accusations

In 2015, a Fair Labour Association (FLA) report revealed that children under 15 were still working on cocoa farms linked to Nestle, despite the company's pledge to end child labour in its supply chain over a decade before. The study examined 260 farms in Ivory Coast, finding 56 workers under 18, with 27 under 15. One farm showed evidence of forced labour, with a young worker unpaid for a year. Children were found to be working as "family workers" and were denied education and exposed to heavy tasks like using machetes and carrying huge loads. 

Criticism over unhealthy food

In 2021, Nestle faced a lot of criticism after an internal presentation revealed that a large portion of its food and drinks were not meeting the required health standards. The document showed that 60% of Nestle's food and drink portfolio, excluding pet food, baby formula, and coffee, fell short of these standards. It was also acknowledged that some products may never meet healthy criteria. In response, Nestle promised to fix this by reviewing all their items to match better nutrition guidelines. They also mentioned they had already reduced sugar and salt in their products by 14-15% over the past seven years.