Nestle selling baby food with high sugar in India, lower-income countries; same products sugar-free in the West: Report

The report highlighted that Nestle, a global leader in consumer goods, incorporates sugar and honey into its infant milk, Cerelac, and other cereal products in multiple lower-income countries, while those products are sugar-free in the UK, Germany, and Switzerland.

An investigation conducted by Public Eye revealed that two of the best-selling baby-food brands by Nestle in India and other lower-income countries contain high levels of added sugar, while they are sold sugar-free in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, among others.

These are the key findings of an investigation by Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN).

The report highlighted that Nestle, a global leader in consumer goods, incorporates sugar and honey into its infant milk and cereal products in multiple countries, contradicting international guidelines designed to curb obesity and chronic illnesses. Such violations were specifically observed in Asian, African, and Latin American nations.

"On the eve of its Annual General Meeting, a petition demands that Nestlé put an end to this unjustifiable and harmful double standard, which contributes to the explosive rise of obesity and leads children to develop a life-long preference for sugary products", the report notes.

In response to these allegations, a spokesperson from Nestle India Ltd. told NDTV Profit that the company has reduced the overall quantity of added sugars in its range of infant cereals by 30 per cent over the last five years. Furthermore, they stated that Nestle is continuously assessing and adjusting its products to further minimize sugar content and emphasized its commitment to the nutritional quality of its early childhood products.

Report Findings: India

The findings indicate that in India, each serving of all 15 Cerelac baby products contains an average of almost 3 grams of sugar. Conversely, the identical product is marketed without any additional sugar in Germany and the UK.

Furthermore, the study highlighted that the quantity of added sugar is frequently not disclosed in the nutritional information provided on the packaging of such products.

"While Nestlé recommends publicly to avoid baby foods that contain added sugar, it takes advantage of the weakness of existing regulations to continue selling such products in lower-income countries...Nestle prominently highlights the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients contained in its products using idealizing imagery, it's not transparent when it comes to added sugar," the report said.

Nestle sold over Rs 20,000 crore worth of Cerelac products in India in 2022, NDTV said.

Report Findings: World

The same situation prevails in South Africa, the main market on the African continent, where all Cerelac baby cereals contain 4 grams or more of added sugar per serving. Cerelac sold in the Philippines and Nigerian markets were found to have the highest added sugar of over 6.8 g per serving. In Ethiopia and Thailand, it contains nearly 6 grams, according to the study.

In Brazil, the world's second-largest market for baby cereals, with approximately $150 million in sales in 2022, three-quarters of Cerelac products (marketed as Mucilon in the country) contain added sugar, averaging around 3 grams per serving.

What Experts Say

Professionals argue that incorporating sugar, a highly addictive substance, into baby products is both hazardous and unjustified.

“There is a double standard here that can’t be justified,” said Nigel Rollins , scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), when presented with Public Eye's findings.

"This is a big concern. Sugar should not be added to foods offered to babies and young children because it is unnecessary and highly addictive," said Rodrigo Vianna, epidemiologist and Professor at the Department of Nutrition of the Federal University of Paraiba in Brazil, to Public Eye.

"Children get used to the sweet taste and start looking for more sugary foods, starting a negative cycle that increases the risk of nutrition-based disorders in adult life. These include obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes or high blood pressure," he added.