Nestlé and baby milk

Based on information fromBaby 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.

Font: GMI September

2005

Who is Nestlé?

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.

“Raising an intelligent child is no longer a dream” – use Nan

Advertising

Huge billboard in Taiwan(2002-2003)

“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

Thailand–product promotion at conferences

UAE–2004 diary

Indonesia– Hospital sign board

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.

Singapore South Africa

"The only contact that I would say with the mother is through the label."

Beverley Mirando,Senior Policy Advisor, Nestlé.

Debate at Nottingham University.

Targeting mothers

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!

www.babymilkaction.orgwww.myspace.com/babymilkaction

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