Nestlé, the world’s largest consumer goods company, is once again in the dock for allegedly taking millions of its customers in developing countries for granted. Just nine years ago, its best-selling product Maggi was banned in India after revelations of the presence of high levels of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and lead, which were 17 times higher than the permissible limit. This time, campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, found that the company adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. The products involved are Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.
The jury is still out as the charges haven’t been proved as yet and the company has dismissed them. While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to probe the issue, what is really disturbing is that the Belgian laboratory, which did the testing on behalf of Public Eye, found no added sugar in formulas for young children in Nestlé’s main European markets. This, if true, reflects dangerous double standards and Nestlé must stop adding sugar in all products for infants, in every part of the world.
While not everybody should be painted with the same brush, such unfortunate episodes only lend credence to the perception that multinational companies often misbehave, deviating from the expected rules of conduct in different countries. This requires more attention and responsibility from the companies to reduce the negative consequences of their actions, especially in emerging markets. In this case, obesity is increasingly a big problem — globally more than 1 billion people are living with this — and no company, whether MNC or domestic, can afford to be irresponsible in their actions. A few years ago, a study by the Centre of Science and Environment said that global fast food companies do not have any India-specific commitments to eliminate the misuse of antibiotics in their meat supply chains. The same companies, however, made time-bound commitments in the richer countries. And it’s not MNCs alone. Many food companies in India are focused on cutting corners to remain “affordable” to the mass market, and do not prioritise safety as a pillar of their business.
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The onus really should be on the Indian government to have responsible agencies which set acceptable standards and ensure their compliance on an ongoing basis. Though India’s food safety regulations and enforcement have come a long way from the earlier shoddy standards, a lot more needs to be done. For instance, a Comptroller and Auditor General report a few years back found that in more than 50% of cases tested and checked during the audit, licences were issued based on incomplete documentation. It was also found that out of the 72 state food laboratories to which the FSSAI and state food authorities sent food samples for testing, at least 65 of them did not possess the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation. The FSSAI must ensure that standards are constantly updated based on scientific assessment and global health advice, and enforced. Data on foodborne illness are startling, and companies can’t be allowed to get away by treating citizens in emerging nations as children of a lesser God.
Nestlé, the world’s largest consumer goods company, is once again in the dock for allegedly taking millions of its customers in developing countries for granted. Just nine years ago, its best-selling product Maggi was banned in India after revelations of the presence of high levels of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and lead, which were 17 times higher than the permissible limit. This time, campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, found that the company adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. The products involved are Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.
The jury is still out as the charges haven’t been proved as yet and the company has dismissed them. While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to probe the issue, what is really disturbing is that the Belgian laboratory, which did the testing on behalf of Public Eye, found no added sugar in formulas for young children in Nestlé’s main European markets. This, if true, reflects dangerous double standards and Nestlé must stop adding sugar in all products for infants, in every part of the world.
While not everybody should be painted with the same brush, such unfortunate episodes only lend credence to the perception that multinational companies often misbehave, deviating from the expected rules of conduct in different countries. This requires more attention and responsibility from the companies to reduce the negative consequences of their actions, especially in emerging markets. In this case, obesity is increasingly a big problem — globally more than 1 billion people are living with this — and no company, whether MNC or domestic, can afford to be irresponsible in their actions. A few years ago, a study by the Centre of Science and Environment said that global fast food companies do not have any India-specific commitments to eliminate the misuse of antibiotics in their meat supply chains. The same companies, however, made time-bound commitments in the richer countries. And it’s not MNCs alone. Many food companies in India are focused on cutting corners to remain “affordable” to the mass market, and do not prioritise safety as a pillar of their business.
The onus really should be on the Indian government to have responsible agencies which set acceptable standards and ensure their compliance on an ongoing basis. Though India’s food safety regulations and enforcement have come a long way from the earlier shoddy standards, a lot more needs to be done. For instance, a Comptroller and Auditor General report a few years back found that in more than 50% of cases tested and checked during the audit, licences were issued based on incomplete documentation. It was also found that out of the 72 state food laboratories to which the FSSAI and state food authorities sent food samples for testing, at least 65 of them did not possess the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation. The FSSAI must ensure that standards are constantly updated based on scientific assessment and global health advice, and enforced. Data on foodborne illness are startling, and companies can’t be allowed to get away by treating citizens in emerging nations as children of a lesser God.
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Children of a lesser God
14
1
22.04.2024
Nestlé, the world’s largest consumer goods company, is once again in the dock for allegedly taking millions of its customers in developing countries for granted. Just nine years ago, its best-selling product Maggi was banned in India after revelations of the presence of high levels of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and lead, which were 17 times higher than the permissible limit. This time, campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, found that the company adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. The products involved are Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.
The jury is still out as the charges haven’t been proved as yet and the company has dismissed them. While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to probe the issue, what is really disturbing is that the Belgian laboratory, which did the testing on behalf of Public Eye, found no added sugar in formulas for young children in Nestlé’s main European markets. This, if true, reflects dangerous double standards and Nestlé must stop adding sugar in all products for infants, in every part of the world.
While not everybody should be painted with the same brush, such unfortunate episodes only lend credence to the perception that multinational companies often misbehave, deviating from the expected rules of conduct in different countries. This requires more attention and responsibility from the companies to reduce the negative consequences of their actions, especially in emerging markets. In this case, obesity is increasingly a big problem — globally more than 1 billion people are living with........
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