Sugar In Baby Food, Child Labor Allegations: Nestle’s Past Controversies

From the infamous Maggi noodle ban and allegations of child labor, the company has faced its fair share of scrutiny.

in New Delhi: 

Nestle, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, has found itself entangled in a myriad of controversies over the years. From the infamous Maggi noodle ban and allegations of child labour, the company has faced its fair share of scrutiny.

Adding sugar in baby food

A recent report has once again put Nestle in the spotlight, revealing differences in Nestle’s baby food products across different regions. While products sold in Europe were found to be free of added sugars, those distributed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America contained them. This revelation is a cause for concern, as sugar is typically not recommended for infants due to its potential health risks.

The report was published by Public Eye, a Swiss organization known for its investigative work and public advocacy, in collaboration with the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). The findings were derived from tests conducted on Nestle products in a Belgian laboratory. 

The report titled “How Nestle gets children hooked on sugar in lower-income countries” called out the brand for using different nutritional standards in its products depending on the country. It also blamed the company for not clearly stating the quantity of sugar on its packaging. 

Maggi banned in India

In 2015, Nestle’s favorite Maggi noodles were banned in India after it was found that the product contained more-than-permissible levels of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) after being tested by Indian food safety regulators.