KUALA LUMPUR: Nestlé has been accused of adding high levels of sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many global south countries, while such products are sugar free in its home country, Switzerland.
Campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, sent samples of the products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing.
In an article published by the organisation on April 17, it noted that the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) and Public Eye scrutinised around 150 products, including best-selling brands Cerelac and Nido, sold by the food giant around the world.
The team found that almost all the Cerelac infant cereals examined contain added sugar – nearly four grams per serving on average, equal to roughly a sugar cube – although they are targeted at babies from six months of age.
The highest amount – 7.3 grams per serving – was detected in a product sold in the Philippines, the investigation revealed.
The team also discovered that most of the Nido, a milk formula designed for infants aged one and older, contain added sugar (in the form of sucrose or honey)– almost two grams per serving on average.
"The maximum value (5.3 grams) was detected in a product sold in Panama. In Switzerland and in Nestlé's main European markets, such products are sold without added sugar," the report read.
In Brazil, two out of eight Cerelac varieties known as Mucilon were found to have no added sugar, but in Nigeria, one tested product had up to 6.8 grams sugar.
According to Public Eye, Nestle controls 20 per cent of the baby-food market, valued at nearly US$70 billion.
With more than US$2.5 billion in world sales in 2022, Cerelac and Nido are some of Nestlé's best-selling baby-food brands in low- and middle-income countries, it said.
The organisation further said Nestle "aggressively advertises" these products as "essential to children's healthy development" in its main markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Surprisingly, Nestlé's products in main European markets had no added sugar found in formulas for babies between six months and one year.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines titled 'Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children,' no food intended for children under three should contain added sugars or sweetening agents.
Although specific guidelines haven't been developed for other regions, researchers suggest that these guidelines apply equally to other global regions.
"We targeted sugar because that's the number one enemy when it comes to nutritional health," TIME news magazine quoted Public Eye's agriculture and nutrition expert Laurent Gaberell as saying.
"Exposure to sugar at an early age of babies and infants can be very problematic. It's one of the key factors behind the obesity crisis.
"If babies are exposed to sugar, they basically have a higher risk of being obese later, and suffering adverse health outcomes such as diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases."
Similarly, paediatricians and child nutrition experts interviewed by Public Eye strongly criticised the double standard that they say is "morally and public health-wise problematic", especially considering the obesity crisis affecting low-income nations.
"The WHO cautions that early exposure to sugar can instil a lifelong preference for sugary items, heightening the risk of obesity and other chronic diseases.
"Since 2022, the UN agency has advocated for prohibiting added sugar in products meant for infants and toddlers under three years old," it said.
The investigation conducted by Public Eye and IBFAN reveals that Nestlé uses "deceptive marketing tactics, including engaging medical professionals and social media influencers", to gain parents' trust in its products.
Meanwhile, Nestlé Malaysia said its infant formula and baby food comply with international standards and local food regulations following reports of its products containing high levels of sugar.
Nestlé Malaysia said its products included specific labelling requirements in their products, strictly following threshold limits for carbohydrates and added sugars.