this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2024
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[–] [email protected] 41 points 6 months ago (3 children)

But why? It is bad for babies OK, but what is the upside for Nestlé? Is it addiction?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Cheap source of calories/filler?

[–] [email protected] 86 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (6 children)

One of Nestle's main evil plans in the Low Income Countries is to aggressively tell mothers that formula is better than breastfeeding, have doctors suggest it, or even give free formula until the mothers' breastmilk dries up.

Humans evolved to crave sugar which is scarce in nature.

Babies will naturally prefer milk with higher sweetness i.e Nestle Cerelac. This will help convince the mothers to breastfeed less, buy more formula, and/or let their milk dry up.

Edit: here's UNICEF on these evil marketing practices in Bangladesh.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Sugar is roughly as addictive as cocaine.

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug

So yeah, addiction is probably the end game.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

Corporation ignores guidelines in pursuit of profit. News at 11.

Corporations will not ever self-regulate. If the "global south" can't even govern their food suppliers at the inadequate and shitty level the US does, then what else can be said? This is a problem that is directly within those governments ability to solve, but they still won't even do that.

Unsolvable problems with the Nestle Corporation - They Exist and their executives weren't guillotined in the 50's.

Solvable problem with the Nestle Corporation - They are legally allowed to sell products within the sovereign countries of the global south while complying with all local laws and regulations.

If only something could be done....

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

No, don't try to pass the buck. Wealthy nations are the ones responsible for what their own citizens get up to. Corporations are made up of people and should be regulated by their host nations.

  • Low Income Countries usually lack the resources to test imported products properly. This for eg is why all the poison cough syrup deaths globally.

  • They also lack the resources to finance enforcement of their laws.

  • They are also bullied by the World Trade Organization or threatened with lack of trade in necessities if they try to go against large international corporations with lobbying power.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago (5 children)

Don't noble savage this shit. Most of those countries have functional governments that manage to regulate a lot of stuff, the article isn't about lack of enforcement. It's about lack of regulation period. While the WTO does help enforce the neo-liberal order, they aren't the ones that are doing this. Nestle-LLC incorporated in South Africa is using "too much" sugar in their formula. This is a problem that is wholly within South Africa's ability to solve.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Out of all the parasites capitalist society has produced, Nestle executives possibly deserve the gui the most

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Fuck a guillotine, gimme a Colt 1911 and a couple hundred rounds of .22 long; I'll have it done by dinner time.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Nestle's most popular sub-brand, Maggi, is a Nazi company. They were banned in India for selling noodles with high concentration of lead.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I am a staunch opposer to the death penalty, and believe no crime, no matter how severe warrants an execution, but I wouldn't lift a finger to stop the execution of Nestlé executives because they aren't worth a single calorie spent on their defence.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

But think of all the calories they’ve given to us! /s

[–] [email protected] 19 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Does anyone know why Bangladesh had zero added sugar?

Could it be that Bangladesh has stricter regulations?

Edit: it seems I was wrong. I thought when I read this yesterday it said Bangladesh had no sugar, but looking it up today, that's no longer the case.

Source: https://stories.publiceye.ch/nestle-babies/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

@alvvayson where does it say there's none in Bangladesh?

There's even more sugar in Nestle formula in Bangladesh than there is in India.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

You are correct.

I could swear that when I read the primary source yesterday, it said Bangladesh had zero sugar.

But going to the link, that's no longer the case.

Either I was wrong or they corrected it.

Primary source: https://stories.publiceye.ch/nestle-babies/

[–] [email protected] 50 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Can I sue Nestle and Johnson for milk and baby powder respectively? I am an Indian citizen, so I don't know if I am entitled to the compensation for damages caused - my mother used their shitty products, and apparently, it killed babies in developing countries.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Maybe a class action?

[–] [email protected] 38 points 6 months ago

Unfortunately, Nestle and J&J have spent billions on lawyers and consultants, so even if you could sue it would go nowhere.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

Nestle is still evil; more news at 11.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 6 months ago (2 children)

It is not always easy for consumers in any country to tell whether a product contains added sugar, and how much is present, based on nutritional information printed on packaging alone.

That seems like the problem that actually needs solving.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Victim blaming when Nestle could simply do... What's better for the human body?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago

Yes, true. But have you considered the shareholders?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Agreed but our governments have nearly completely checked out of monitoring food less the more immediate consequence type situations. Good luck getting real olive oil for example.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (6 children)

Not sure which countries you are talking about but Australia's nutritional information seems pretty robust, every food product must list its ingredients, and in order of highest amount to lowest (sometimes with % for things like fruit in syrup, juices, etc).

Also they have a nutrition table where it shows each main factor (vitamins/minerals, sugars, salts, fats, carbohydrates, calories, etc.) And the amount per 'serving' (serving size noted) and per 100g of the product. So you can compare the exact same figures product to product and know which is better for you.

There are often other bits of information on the packs, (some of which are optional i believe) such as %of ingredients grown in australia, if its packed in australia, country of origin, 'health start rating' (0-5 star scale which shows a quick comparison of how healthy a TYPE of food is. Keep in mind a 4.5 star bottle of soft drink isnt healthy, it is simply more healthy than other soft drinks in its category, ie: a better choice)

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[–] [email protected] 108 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Nestlé, the world’s largest consumer goods 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, a report has found.

Laurent Gaberell, Public Eye’s agriculture and nutrition expert, said: “Nestlé must put an end to these dangerous double standards and stop adding sugar in all products for children under three years old, in every part of the world.”

It is not always easy for consumers in any country to tell whether a product contains added sugar, and how much is present, based on nutritional information printed on packaging alone.

The UK recommends that children under four avoid food with added sugars because of risks including weight gain and tooth decay.

Biscuit-flavoured cereals for babies aged six months and older contained 6g of added sugar for every serving in Senegal and South Africa, researchers found.

A Nestlé spokesperson said: “We believe in the nutritional quality of our products for early childhood and prioritise using high-quality ingredients adapted to the growth and development of children.”


The original article contains 774 words, the summary contains 180 words. Saved 77%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

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