Nestlé Controversies: From sugar in baby food to Maggi ban, we look at top 8 concerns in India and abroad

livemint.com:

Nestlé hit headlines this week for the sugar content in its baby food sold in developing countries. Nestlé India was found to have included sugar and honey in infant milk and cereal products such as Cerelac, as per a Guardian report. Responding to the concerns, Nestlé India told Mint has reduced up to 30 percent of added sugars across its infant cereal range over the past five years.

Also Read | Nestlé on infant cereal range in India: Reduced 30% added sugar in 5 years Amid this new concern, we revisit the other controversies Nestlé is battling in India and abroad. Citing data from Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), the Guardian reported findings from an examination of 115 products sold in Nestlé's main markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on Cerelac and Nodi brands. Public Eye's analysis revealed that all Cerelac baby cereal products examined in India contained added sugar, averaging nearly 3 grams per serving.

Notably, while added sugar is present in products sold in developing nations, Nestlé's European market offers sugar-free infant nutrition products. Public Eye and IBFAN's investigation highlighted significant differences in sugar content between Nestlé's products marketed in low-income and middle-income countries and those sold in Switzerland. In particular, two of Nestlé's best-selling baby-food brands in developing nations contained high levels of added sugar, contrasting with sugar-free products in Switzerland.