Nestlé Boycott~

It's time to take a closer look at another popular MNC (Multi-National-Corporation). It's sweet and Swiss, that's right, today it's gonna be all about Nestlé. Here is a short introduction about the Nestlé corporation and their practices. 

Nestlé based in Switzerland is the world's largest food company with nearly 230,000 employees in 468 factories worldwide in more than 80 countries and a turnover of $52 billion, taking over $1,000 a second. They are also the focus of the worlds longest running consumer boycott (22 years).

The water division of the Nestlé Group, Nestlé Waters is the market leader. Nestlé Waters manages 77 brands of bottled water produced at 107 sites. The Group operates in 130 countries and employs 25,100 people. Nestlé USA has more than $8 billion in annual sales. It has seven divisions: beverage; confections and snacks; food services; foreign trade; nutrition; pet care and prepared foods. The Nestlé corporation makes many of the products we see in everyday life. From Butterfinger bars to Fancy Feast cat food, most of us have some sort of Nestlé product in our cupboards.

Nestlé holds about 50% of the world's breast milk substitute market and is being boycotted for continued breaches of the 1981 WHO Code regulating the marketing of breast milk substitutes.

Doctor Raj Anand, in New Internationalist states that infants are up to 25 times more likely to die from diarrhoea when on milk substitutes rather than breastmilk. Because many milk substitues need to be created with water, problems arise in places where the water quality is not good. The risk of an infant ingesting a water-borne bacteria is very great.

The International Code

To help avoid all the needless baby deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) set up a set of rules regarding the way that infant formula and other food products are allowed to be marketed. This set of rules is called The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. (Click on the link for full version of this code.) This code clearly states that baby food companies may not:

• Give free supplies of baby milk to hospitals;


• Promote their products to the public or health workers;


• Use baby pictures on their baby milk and bottle and teat labels;


• Give gifts to mothers or health workers;


• Give free samples to parents;


• Promote baby foods or drinks for babies under 6 months old;


• Have labels in a language that can not be understood by the mother (must be in the local language) and must include a prominent health warning

So what does this have to do with the Nestlé Corporation? Nestlé is one of the many companies (others include Mead-Johnson, Wyeth,and Abbott-Ross) which put profit before people and does not follow the International Code. Nestlé violates this code in many ways, including marketing complementary products for children less than 6 months of age. They have also been reported to persuade health care workers to suggest their feeding products to new mothers, and giving free samples and gifts to new mothers. These free samples are their way of getting babies "hooked on the bottle". Mothers spend enormous amounts of money on infant formula every year, and for people with low incomes, this is more money than they can afford. Some of their infant formula products are not properly labeled, as well. Some are in the incorrect language, and/or do not include clear directions or prominent health warning. These are all flagrant violations of the code, and have caused many deaths of infants who may have lived if not on the bottle, especially in developing countries.

Nestlé has been informed and warned about these problems with their products, but they have frequently claimed that they are doing nothing wrong. However, there is sufficient evidence that these illegal processes are still going on, in the US, and in countries where the effects are worse. Some people decide to turn their head, to continue purchasing Nestlé products despite what they are doing. Most people are simply not informed. Whether or not you choose to join others and myself in this boycott is a personal decision, however, I urge you to consider the wrong-doings of this company and to join me in this boycott.

To be fair I will also publish the link showing you how Nestlé tried to clarify some of its policies. You can find it here. 

Nestlé brands in Singapore:

Milkmaid, Nespray, Everyday, Neslac, Nescafe, Milo, Maggi, Kit Kat, Alpo, Friskies and Polo.

Turnover

Singapore (2000) : More than S$200 million.

Nestlé company has interests in dozens of countries and is perhaps best known for its food products, breakfast cereals and coffee. Nestlé also has a majority interest in the L'Oréal cosmetics company. Nestlé own nearly 50% of the cosmetics company L'Oreal. L'Oreal was subject to boycott calls from animal rights groups including PeTA because of its animal testing policy. Since then L'Oreal has claimed that it no longer tests finished products on animals. This statement is obviously intended to mislead since finished products do not require further testing and it implies that the ingredients are certainly still subject to tests. Some groups called off the boycott in response to L'Oreals' claims, however there are individuals and organisations who continue the boycott and L'Oreal continues to test on animals.

Nestlé itself manufactures products containing meat and has been critised by BUAV for testing its coffee's carcinogenicity on mice.

Nestlé is still using GM (Genetically Modified) ingredients in a lot of their products in most countries around the world. But we MUST let the corporations know the consumers concerns! WE DON'T WANT GM FOOD! We have consumer power and if we use it correctly we can achieve a lot. Consumers in the UK made their voices heard long time ago also with the help of boycotts, and convinced Nestlé to replace GM ingredients or clearly label products containing GM substances where a substitute could not be found (in 1999).

Other relevant reports and links:

From a womans' perspective

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation vs. Nestle

Baby Milk Action

Infant Feeding Action Coalition (Canada)

Nestlé in the McSpotlight part I

Nestlé in the McSpotlight part II

And a few quotes from these sites:

"Many people now believe in modern superstitions, these include the use of bottle milk; these are superstitions no less pernicious than the unhealthy folk traditions. But while the wrong traditional ways are superstitions borne out of ignorance, the wrong 'modern' ways are superstitions borne out of greed. And we all know that greed has strong powerful interests."

- A former Philippine Health Secretary.



With an annual promotion budget of nearly $8 billion Nestle has a slight advantage over mothers who produce breastmilk naturally and do not have a fortune to spend promoting the advantages of their 'product'.

Back in '39 Nestlé was exporting condensed milk to Singapore and Malaysia as "ideal for delicate infants", though it was banned in Britain for causing rickets and blindness.

"Breastfeeding declined rapidly between 1960-70 as the formula milk market expanded. In Mexico from 100% to 40%, in Chile from 90% to 5% and in Singapore from 80% to 5%" - UK Food Group.

Company Profile Products and brand names:

• Coffee : Alta Rica, Blend 37, Cap Colombie, Elevenses, Nescafé, Nescoré
  
  


• Breakfast Cereals : Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Coco Shreddies, Crisp Rice, Fincken Flakes, Force Flakes, Frosted Shreedies, Golden Grahams, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Shredded Wheat, Shreddies, Wheetflakes.
  
  


• Pet foods : Go-Cat, Friskies Go-Cat, Buffet Treats
  
  


• Fats & Oils : Buitoni, Crosse & Blackwell, Dufrais
  
  


• Ice Cream & Lollies : Lyons Maid
  
  


• Jams & Spreads : Sun Pat (Peanut butter), Gales (honey), Ratcliffe (honey)
  
  


• Sauces, Pickles & Mustards : Branston, Crosse & Blackwell, Pan Yan
  
  


• Tinned Fruit & Vegetables : Crosse & Blackwell, Libby's
  
  


• Yogurt, Cheese etc : Bonjour, Nouvelle, Chambourcy
  
  


• Cosmetics : Biotherm, Helena Rubenstein, Lancome, L'Oreal, Vichy


• For more click here (WARNING: propaganda!)

I felt that it is very important to mention all those different controversialities surrounding the huge Nestlé group, because very little of it is actually known by and made available to the general public.

So help spreading the word! It's all in OUR hands!

 ~GloblaPeace&Solidarity~

tags: nestle boycott  nestle  genetically modified  breast milk substitute  

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