Nestlé and baby milk
Based on information from
Baby Milk Action
Baby Milk Action is the UK member of the
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)
Consisting of over 200 groups in more than 100 countries.
Who is Nestlé?
Font: GMI
September
2005
But….Nestlé has a darker side
Why does this matter?
“Some 1.5 million children still die every year
because they are inappropriately fed”
WHO 2001
"Marketing practices that undermine breastfeeding
are potentially hazardous wherever they are pursued:
in the developing world, WHO estimates that some
1.5 million children die each year because they are
not adequately breastfed. These facts are not in
dispute."
UNICEF
1.5 million real lives
"Use my picture if it will help," said this mother at the
Childrens Hosptial, Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo:
UNICEF.
A baby dies every 30 seconds from unsafe bottle
feeding
The babies are twins: the child with the bottle is a girl she died the day after this photograph was taken - but
her brother was breastfed and thrived.
The mother was told that she wouldn’t have enough
milk for both children, and so breastfed her son while
the grandmother bottle-fed her daughter. But she would
almost certainly have been able to feed both babies,
since the more a baby suckles, the more milk is
produced.
UNICEF, Islamabad
Children’s Hospital,
Pakistan.
The International Code
The aim of the International Code of
Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is
to:
“contribute to the provision of safe
and adequate nutrition for infants, by
the protection and promotion of
breast-feeding and by ensuring the
proper use of breastmilk substitutes,
when these are necessary, on the
basis of adequate information and
through appropriate marketing and
distribution. “
The Code
The code includes the following rules for companies like Nestlé:
Baby food companies may not:
•
•
promote their products in hospitals, shops or to the general public
give free samples to mothers or free or subsidised supplies to hospitals or
maternity wards
•
•
give gifts to health workers or mothers
promote their products to health workers: any information provided by
companies must contain only scientific and factual matters
•
promote foods or drinks for babies
•
give misleading information
And….
• There should be no contact between baby milk company sales
personnel and mothers.
• Labels must be in a language understood by the mother and must
include a clear health warning.
• Baby pictures may not be shown on baby milk labels.
• The labels must not include language which idealises the use of the
product.
Nestlé breaks the rules of The Code
Monitoring results from 69
countries
2,000 rule brakes
Over 700 pictures
Nestlé is responsible for
more rule breaks than any
other company!!
Nestlé inappropriately promotes
baby milk in poor countries!
Nestlé breaks the rules in its marketing. In areas that
have a poor water supply and mothers do not have funds
to buy the products, this can be very harmful.
Advertising
Huge billboard in Taiwan
(2002-2003)
“Raising an intelligent
child is no longer a
dream” – use Nan
“Growing
moments,
Nestle
moments”Indonesia
“Gifts” to mothers
“I love
my
Nestlé
mum”
Promotion to the medical profession
When closed, leaflet seems
to promote breastfeeding
When opened, a
different story
unfolds!
Promotional gifts in health facilities
In the health care system
UAE–
2004
diary
Indonesia
– Hospital
sign
board
t
Thailand–product
promotion at
conferences
Dangerous whole milk promotion!
Nido whole milk is displayed next
to the more expensive infant
formula in the baby food section
of pharmacies and
supermarkets.
This is dangerous for babies as
whole milk is not suitable for
them.
Targeting mothers
"The only contact that I would say with the
mother is through the label."
Beverley Mirando,
Senior Policy Advisor, Nestlé.
Debate at Nottingham University.
Singapore
South Africa
How do you know who is telling the truth?
This Baby Milk Action
advertisement was challenged
before the UK’s Advertising
Authority.
Baby Milk Action won the case!
What was said was found to be
truthful!
Nestle on the other hand lost the
case when their anti-boycott
advert was challenged by Baby
Milk Action!
What Nestlé need to do to stop the Campaign
1. Nestlé must state in writing that it accepts that the International Code and
the subsequent, relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions are
minimum requirements for every country.
Basically: Agree to the rules
2. Nestlé must acknowledge in writing that it needs to change its policy and
practice to bring them into line with the International Code and
Resolutions in every country (i.e. end its strategy of denial and deception).
Basically: Say it will stop breaking the rules
And then….
3. Once Nestlé has made its commitment to change clear, Baby Milk Action
will take the statements to the International Nestlé Boycott Committee
(INBC) and suggest that we meet with Nestlé to discuss its timetable for
making the changes.
Basically: Explain when it will stop breaking the rules
4. If IBFAN monitoring finds no violations from Nestlé for 18 months, the
boycott will be called off.
Basically: If Nestlé doesn’t break the rules the boycott will stop!
Nestlé has rejected this plan!
It will not do this!
What can you do?
You have the power to stop
buying Nescafé (and other
Nestlé products) until Nestlé
abides by the World Health
Assembly marketing
requirements for baby foods!
Learn more on the website
www.babymilkaction.org
www.myspace.com/babymilkaction