Nestlé criticised over claims it adds sugar to some African products

Public Eye, a Swiss-based investigative organisation, says this is contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. 

The London-based newspaper, The Guardian, reports that Public Eye sent samples of baby-food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing. 

The results, and examination of product packaging, revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above. 

This was also true for its Cerelac product, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years. 

“In Nestlé’s main European markets, including the UK, there is no added sugar in formulas for young children. While some cereals aimed at older toddlers contain added sugar, there is none in products targeted at babies between six months and one year,” The Guardian states. 

It quotes Laurent Gaberell, Public Eye’s agriculture and nutrition expert, as saying: “Nestlé 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.” 

World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the European region say no added sugars or sweetening agents should be permitted in any food for children under three. While no guidance has been specifically produced for other regions, researchers say the European document remains equally relevant to other parts of the world. 

According to the Public Eye report, biscuit-flavoured cereals for babies aged six months and older contained 6g of added sugar for every serving in Senegal and South Africa, researchers found. The same product sold in Switzerland has none. 

Nestlé Africa responds to report 

Mota Mota, a spokesperson for Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region, told the AMC news team: “We uphold stringent regulations and standards within the realm of baby food, ensuring consistency in nutrition, health, and wellness principles across all regions, in accordance with international guidelines and regulations.  

“This commitment encompasses adherence to labelling requirements, particularly regarding carbohydrate content, which encompasses sugars, with full transparency to consumers regarding total sugar content. 

“While slight recipe variations may exist across countries due to factors like regulations, consumer preferences, and ingredient availability, these adjustments do not compromise the nutritional integrity of our products designed for infants and young children.  

“We have undertaken significant efforts to minimise sugar content throughout our product range, including the phased removal of added sugars such as sucrose and glucose syrup from our growing-up milks for children above 12 months worldwide. 

“Continual innovation and reformulation are core aspects of our approach, ensuring that our products for infants and young children meet local regulations and/or international standards, including those set forth by Codex.” 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: “When food producers and traders comply with Codex standards, consumers can trust the safety and quality of the products they buy, and importers can have confidence that the food they ordered will meet the specifications.”