
Educated but easily fooled? Who falls for misinformation – and why
The rapid spread of online misinformation has become a significant risk for businesses, brands and wider society. Why do people fall for it?
REPUTATION
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Swiss report says some Nestlé children’s products in emerging markets have too much sugar and honey. Company says it meets global standards.
Global consumer goods company Nestlé has found itself entangled in a reputation controversy in Africa and other emerging markets over claims that it adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries.
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
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.”
The rapid spread of online misinformation has become a significant risk for businesses, brands and wider society. Why do people fall for it?
Issue 4 2024 of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine for deep-thinking industry professionals, provides latest in-depth insights.
Last year MTN gifted a vehicle to a single mother of five to replace her ‘death trap’ pickup. This year, they again came to the rescue.
Ricci Birchfield has more than 18 years’ experience in the auto industry, specialising in marketing, digital strategy and business transformation.
Busy intersection swapped the roar of traffic for the clip-clop of Zebra hooves on International Zebra Day. Or so it seemed.
Specialist digital marketing services agency may resonate in a region that has of one of the youngest consumer audiences in the world.
IMM Institute’s glamorous gala dinner and excellence awards evening in March promises to be a highlight on the local calendar.
Upgrade of production in Egypt comes at a time when US brands are being boycotted by local consumers due to the conflict in Gaza.
Decision in 2023 to discontinue operations in its homecare and skin-cleansing categories helps local subsidiary’s performance in 2024.
Confederation has fast-paced online Express Courses you can complete in a week, to in-depth studies taking up to 10 months.
African marketer and business leader to present a webinar on Leadership and Creativity for the Ethiopian Marketing Professionals’ Association.
Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.