Nestlé boycott

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A boycott was launched in the United States on July 4, 1977, against the Swiss-based Nestlé corporation. The boycott expanded into Europe in the early 1980s and was prompted by concern about Nestlé's "aggressive marketing" of infant formulas (i.e., substitutes for breast milk), particularly in underdeveloped countries. [1] [2] The boycott has been cancelled and renewed because of the business practices of Nestlé and other substitute manufacturers monitored by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). [3] [4] Organizers of the boycott as well as public health researchers state that infant formulas are worse for infants' health than real breast milk. [5] [6] As of 2013, the Nestlé boycott was coordinated by the International Nestlé Boycott Committee, whose secretariat was the British group Baby Milk Action.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Baby milk controversy

Groups such as the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) and Save the Children argue that the promotion of infant formula over breastfeeding has led to health problems and deaths among infants in less economically developed countries. [7] [8] There are three problems that can arise when poor mothers in developing countries switch to formula as well as one list of benefits of breast milk:

Advocacy groups and charities have accused Nestlé of unethical methods of promoting infant formula over breast milk to poor mothers in developing countries. [19] [20] For example, IBFAN claim that Nestlé distributes free formula samples to hospitals and maternity wards; after leaving the hospital, the formula is no longer free, but because the supplementation has interfered with lactation, the family must continue to buy the formula. IBFAN also allege that Nestlé uses "humanitarian aid" to create markets, does not label its products in a language appropriate to the countries where they are sold, and offers gifts and sponsorship to influence health workers to promote its products. [21] Nestlé denies these allegations. [22] [ failed verification ]

History

Nestlé's marketing strategy was first written about in New Internationalist magazine in 1973 and in a booklet called The Baby Killer , published by the British NGO War On Want in 1974. Nestlé attempted to sue the publisher of a German-language translation (Third World Action Group) entitled "Nestlé tötet Babies" for libel. After a two-year trial, the court found in favour of Nestlé because they could not be held responsible for the infant deaths 'in terms of criminal law'. [23] Because the defendants were only fined 300 Swiss Francs (just over US$400, adjusted for inflation), [24] and Judge Jürg Sollberger commented that Nestlé "must modify its publicity methods fundamentally", TIME magazine declared this a "moral victory" for the defendants. [25] This led to similar court challenges brought against other milk companies in the U.S. spearheaded by the Roman Catholic order Sisters of the Precious Blood in conjunction with the Interfaith Centre for Corporate Responsibility. [26]

The widespread publicity led to the launch of the boycott in Minneapolis, USA, by the Infant Formula Action Coalition (INFACT) and this boycott soon spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Europe. In May 1978, the US Senate held a public hearing into the promotion of breast milk substitutes in developing countries and joined calls for a Marketing Code. In 1979, WHO and UNICEF hosted an international meeting that called for the development of an international code of marketing, as well as action on other fronts to improve infant and early child feeding practices. The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) was formed by six of the campaigning groups at this meeting. [20]

In 1981, the 34th World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted Resolution WHA34.22 which includes the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. The Code covers infant formula and other milk products, foods and beverages, when marketed or otherwise represented to be suitable as a partial or total replacement of breast milk. It bans the promotion of breast milk substitutes and gives health workers the responsibility for advising parents. It limits manufacturing companies to the provision of scientific and factual information to health workers and sets forth labeling requirements. [27]

In 1984, boycott coordinators met with Nestlé, which agreed to implement the code, and the boycott was officially suspended. In 1988 IBFAN alleged that formula companies were flooding health facilities in the developing world with free and low-cost supplies, and the boycott was relaunched the following year. [9]

In May 1999 a ruling against Nestlé was issued by the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Nestlé claimed in an anti-boycott advertisement that it markets infant formula "ethically and responsibly". The ASA found that Nestlé could not support this nor other claims in the face of evidence provided by the campaigning group Baby Milk Action. [28]

In November 2000 the European Parliament invited IBFAN, UNICEF, and Nestlé to present evidence to a Public Hearing before the Development and Cooperation Committee. Evidence was presented by the IBFAN group from Pakistan and UNICEF's legal officer commented on Nestlé's failure to bring its policies into line with the World Health Assembly Resolutions. Nestlé declined an invitation to attend, claiming scheduling conflicts, although it sent a representative of the auditing company it had commissioned to produce a report on its Pakistan operation. [29] [30] [31]

Current status

As of 2013, the Nestlé boycott is coordinated by the International Nestlé Boycott Committee, the secretariat for which is the UK group Baby Milk Action. [32] Company practices are monitored by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), which consists of more than 200 groups in over 100 countries.

Alongside the boycott, campaigners work for implementation of the Code and Resolutions in legislation, and claim that 60 countries have now introduced laws implementing most or all of the provisions. [33]

Some universities, colleges, and schools have banned the sale of Nestlé products from their shops and vending machines in the period since the revelations. [34] [35] [36] In the United Kingdom, 73 students' unions, 102 businesses, 30 faith groups, 20 health groups, 33 consumer groups, 18 local authorities, 12 trade unions, education groups, 31 MPs and many celebrities support the Nestlé boycott.[ when? ] [37] [38]

Nestlé claims that it is in full compliance with the International Code. [39] According to Nestlé CEO Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, "we also carry out annual audits on WHO Code compliance with a sample of Nestlé companies, and we investigate any substantiated claims made by those who believe we have broken the Code.... If we find that the Code has been deliberately violated, we take disciplinary action." [40] The company maintains that many of the allegations are unsubstantiated, out of date, or use IBFAN's own non-standard interpretation of the Code. [22]

In May 2011, the debate over Nestlé's unethical marketing of infant formula was relaunched in the Asia-Pacific region. Nineteen leading Laos-based international NGOs, including Save the Children, Oxfam, CARE International, Plan International and World Vision have launched a boycott of Nestlé and written an open letter to the company. [41] Among other unethical practices, the NGOs criticised the lack of labelling in Laos and the provision of incentives to doctors and nurses to promote the use of infant formula. [42] An independent audit of Nestlé's marketing practices in Laos was commissioned by Nestlé and carried out by Bureau Veritas in late 2011. The audit found that "the requirements of the WHO Code and Lao PDR Decree are well embedded throughout the business", but that "promotional materials in 4% of the retail outlets visited" violated either the Lao PDR Decree or the WHO Code. [43]

Calls for boycott after Nestle refused to withdraw from Russia amid Russia's war on Ukraine

In March 2022, after Russia launched an all-out war agains Ukraine, while many large companies have stopped doing business in Russia, Nestlé continued to supply products to Russia. Public activists in many European countries organised rallies and launched a campaign on social networks demanding Nestle management to restrict the activities of the company in Russia.

On March 17th, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal tweeted that he had spoken with Nestle CEO Mark Schneider "about the side effect of remaining in the Russian market." "Talked to @Nestle CEO Mr.Mark Schneider about the side effects of staying on the Russian market. Unfortunately, he shows no understanding. Paying taxes to the budget of a terrorist country means killing defenceless children & mothers. I hope Nestle will change its mind soon”, Shmyhal wrote.

Nestle said on March 9 that it had suspended capital investments and advertising in Russia. But the Swiss company has also stopped shipping non-essential products such as espresso and mineral water. However, the world's largest food company continues to supply essential products to Russia. "As a food company and employer, we also have a responsibility to the people of Russia and our more than 7,000 employees, most of whom are local," Nestle said in a statement. Anonymous called for Nestle blackout after it refused to cease Russia operations, and launched a campaign #BoycottNestle. The hacktivist organisation took to Twitter on March 18, to call for the boycott as almost 400 companies announced plans to halt business and operations in Russia.

In the media

An episode of the TV show The Mark Thomas Comedy Product produced by the British Channel Four in 1999 investigated the boycott and Nestlé's practices concerning baby milk. Mark Thomas attempted to find evidence for claims against Nestlé and to speak to heads of the company. In one portion of the show he "received a tin of baby milk from Mozambique. All instructions are in English. 33 languages and dialects are recognised in Mozambique. Portuguese is the official language. However, only about 30% of the population can speak it. [44]

In 2001, comedian Robert Newman and actress Emma Thompson called for a boycott of the Perrier Comedy Award, because Perrier is owned by Nestlé. [45] An alternative competition called the Tap Water Awards was set up the following year. [46]

In 2002, authors Germaine Greer and Jim Crace withdrew from the Hay Festival in protest over Nestlé's sponsorship of the event. [47]

A 2007 article in The Guardian highlighted aggressive marketing practices by Nestlé in Bangladesh. [9]

The 2014 film Tigers is based on 1997 Pakistan Nestle infant formula controversy.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Infant formula, baby formula or just formula or baby milk, infant milk, false milk, or first milk, is a manufactured food designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder or liquid. The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) defines infant formula as "a food which purports to be or is represented for special dietary use solely as a food for infants by reason of its simulation of human milk or its suitability as a complete or partial substitute for human milk".

Nestlé Swiss multinational food company

Nestlé S.A. is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It is the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since 2014. It ranked No. 64 on the Fortune Global 500 in 2017 and No. 33 in the 2016 edition of the Forbes Global 2000 list of largest public companies.

Danone French multinational food corporation

Danone S.A. is a multinational food-products corporation based in Paris and founded in Barcelona, Spain. It is listed on Euronext Paris where it is a component of the CAC 40 stock market index. Some of the company's products are branded Dannon in the United States.

Breast milk Milk produced by the mammary glands in the breast of a human female

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Baby food

Baby food is any soft, easily consumed food other than breastmilk or infant formula that is made specifically for human babies between four and six months and two years old. The food comes in many varieties and flavors that are purchased ready-made from producers, or it may be table food eaten by the family that has been mashed or otherwise broken down.

The International Baby Food Action Network, IBFAN, consists of public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and their families through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices. IBFAN works for universal and full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and Resolutions.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes is an international health policy framework for breastfeeding promotion adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1981. The Code was developed as a global public health strategy and recommends restrictions on the marketing of breast milk substitutes, such as infant formula, to ensure that mothers are not discouraged from breastfeeding and that substitutes are used safely if needed. The Code also covers ethical considerations and regulations for the marketing of feeding bottles and teats. A number of subsequent WHA resolutions have further clarified or extended certain provisions of the Code.

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Breastfeeding promotion Activities and policies to promote health through breastfeeding

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The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), also known as Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI), is a worldwide programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), launched in 1992 in India following the adoption of the Innocenti Declaration on breastfeeding promotion in 1990. The initiative is a global effort for improving the role of maternity services to enable mothers to breastfeed babies for the best start in life. It aims at improving the care of pregnant women, mothers and newborns at health facilities that provide maternity services for protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Extended breastfeeding

In Western countries extended breastfeeding usually means breastfeeding after the age of 12 to 24 months, depending on the culture.

Infant nutrition is the description of the dietary needs of infants. A diet lacking essential calories, minerals, vitamins, or fluids is considered inadequate. Breast milk provides the best nutrition for these vital first months of growth when compared to infant formula. For example, breastfeeding aids in preventing anemia, obesity, and sudden infant death syndrome; and it promotes digestive health, immunity, intelligence, and dental development. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively feeding an infant breast milk, or iron-fortified formula, for the first six months of life and continuing for one year or longer as desired by infant and mother. Infants are usually not introduced to solid foods until four to six months of age. Historically, breastfeeding infants was the only option for nutrition otherwise the infant would perish. Breastfeeding is rarely contraindicated, but is not recommended for mothers being treated for cancer, those with active tuberculosis, HIV, substance abuse, or leukemia. Clinicians can be consulted to determine what the best source of infant nutrition is for each baby.

BabyNes is a beverage machine by Nestlé that makes infant formula from single-use capsules, similar to Nestlé's Nespresso. The product was designed to recreate Nespresso's success with coffee in the baby formula industry. It was first introduced in Switzerland on May 25, 2011. The Wall Street Journal referred to Nespresso as Nestlé's fastest growing brand in 2011 after its sales rose by 20% in 2010 and it brought a number of legal actions against competitors. Nestlé reported strong sales for the product in late 2011.

Natividad Relucio Clavano was a Filipino paediatrician. As chief of paediatrics at Baguio General Hospital, she studied the benefits of breastfeeding over infant formula and reformed the model of care provided to newborns and their mothers.

Gabrielle Palmer British non-fiction author, nutritionist, lecturer and campaigner

Gabrielle Palmer BA, MSc has been involved in international efforts to stop the unethical promotion of breastmilk substitutes globally and to support appropriate infant feeding for over 40 years. She is the author of the seminal text, The Politics of Breastfeeding, now in its revised third edition and which has never been out of print.

References

  1. ↑ "Baby formulas linked to infant deaths overseas" . Minneapolis Star . INFACT Clearinghouse. September 9, 1978. Retrieved December 5, 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ↑ Krasny, Jill (June 25, 2012). "Every Parent Should Know The Scandalous History Of Infant Formula". Business Insider . Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ Macdonald, Theresa (October 24, 1987). "Simple formula urged for healthy children" . Regina Leader-Post . Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Nestle Boycott Being Suspended" . New York Times . January 27, 1984. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ Lessen, Rachelle; Kavanagh, Katherine (2015). "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding". Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 115 (3): 444–449. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2014.12.014.
  6. ↑ Piwoz, Ellen G.; Huffman, Sandra L. (2015). "The Impact of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes on WHO-Recommended Breastfeeding Practices". Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 36 (4): 373–386. doi:10.1177/0379572115602174. ISSN   0379-5721.
  7. ↑ "What is the Problem?". IBFAN. Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  8. ↑ A Generation On: Baby milk marketing still putting children’s lives at risk Save the Children report, May 2007 (pdf).
  9. 1 2 3 Milking it Joanna Moorhead, The Guardian, May 15, 2007
  10. ↑ "Infant and Young Child Feeding and Care". UNICEF. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  11. ↑ "World Concern - Witness the Transformation". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Breastfeeding". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 23, 2007.
  13. ↑ Gartner LM, et al. (2005). "Breastfeeding and the use of human milk". Pediatrics. 115 (2): 496–506. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004-2491 . PMID   15687461.
  14. 1 2 "Mothers and Children Benefit from Breastfeeding". Womenshealth.gov. February 27, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ↑ "Gastroenteritis". Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. February 1, 2003. Retrieved November 21, 2006.
  16. ↑ Atkinson, S; Bo Lönnerdal (1989). Proteins and non-protein nitrogens in human milk. CRC Press. p. 131. ISBN   0-8493-6795-6.
  17. ↑ "Comparison of Effectiveness". Planned Parenthood. April 2005. Retrieved August 12, 2006., which cites:
    :Hatcher RA, Trussel J, et al. (2000). Contraceptive Technology (18th ed.). New York: Ardent Media. ISBN   0-9664902-6-6.
  18. ↑ World Health Organization, "Global strategy for infant and young child feeding," section titled "EXERCISING OTHER FEEDING OPTIONS" November 24, 2001
  19. ↑ "Nestle Products to Boycott" . Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  20. 1 2 History of the campaign Baby Milk Action Group
  21. ↑ "How breastfeeding is undermined". IBFAN. Archived from the original on April 15, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  22. 1 2 "WHO Code Violation Allegations". Nestlé. Archived from the original on April 9, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  23. ↑ Sethi, S. Prakash (1994). "Multinational Corporations and the Impact of Public Advocacy on Corporate Strategy: Nestlé and the Infant Formula Controversy". Journal of International Business Studies. 25 (3): 658–660. doi:10.1057/jibs.1994.41. JSTOR   155364. S2CID   166328342.
  24. ↑ "Historical Data for Switzerland / U.S. Foreign Exchange Rate" . Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  25. ↑ The Formula Flap TIME Magazine, Jul. 12, 1976
  26. ↑ Muller, Mike (February 13, 2013). "Nestlé baby milk scandal has grown up but not gone away" . Retrieved December 21, 2016– via The Guardian.
  27. ↑ "The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes" (PDF). WHO. 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  28. ↑ Ferriman, Annabel (February 13, 1999). "Advertising Standards Authority finds against Nestlé". BMJ. 318 (7181): 417. doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7181.417a. PMC   1114895 . PMID   9974443.
  29. ↑ "European Parliament public hearing on Nestlé's baby food marketing" (PDF) (Press release). Breast Feeding Promotion Network of India. November 22, 2000. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  30. ↑ "MEPs shocked as Nestlé and Adidas snub Public Hearing on corporate responsibility" (Press release). Baby Milk Action. November 23, 2000. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  31. ↑ "European Parliament Committee on Development". Nestlé. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  32. ↑ Baby Milk Action
  33. ↑ "The role of regulations in protecting infant health". IBFAN. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  34. ↑ "Students to vote on Coca-Cola boycott" . Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  35. ↑ "leedsstudent.org - leedsstudent Resources and Information". Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  36. ↑ Nestle Products Are Banned by FSA
  37. ↑ "UK groups endorsing the boycott". Baby Milk Action. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  38. ↑ An example of one such ban Archived March 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Council of the Oxford University Student Union, June 9, 2006
  39. ↑ "The "International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes"". Nestlé. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  40. ↑ "Foreword by Peter Brabeck". Nestlé. Archived from the original on April 9, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2007.
  41. ↑ "Letter from NGOs to Nestlé" (PDF). Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  42. ↑ "The "LAOS: NGOs flay Nestlé's infant formula strategy" . Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Bureau Veritas report" (PDF). Archived from the original on February 3, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  44. ↑ "Home - Mark Thomas Info". Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  45. ↑ Scott, Kirsty (August 27, 2001). "Spoof horror writer wins £5,000 Perrier award: Fringe comedy contest soured by baby milk protests". The Guardian. Retrieved June 11, 2007.
  46. ↑ "The Tap Water Awards" . Retrieved June 11, 2007.
  47. ↑ "Writers boycott literary festival". BBC News. May 27, 2002. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
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