The Government of India has taken suo-moto cognisance of reports that Nestle reportedly added sugar to infant milk sold in India.
“We have taken cognisance of the report regarding Nestle and will investigate the matter after doing due diligence”, a top government official told Business Today TV.
Department of Consumer Affairs will follow the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act in asking the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to check samples of Nestle’s infant food sample, sources said. Senior officials of Department of Consumer Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) will discuss the matter soon.
News reports citing findings of a Swiss investigative organisation suggest that in India, where Nestle sales topped $250 million in 2022, all Cerelac baby cereals contain added sugar, averaging almost 3 gram per serving. This pattern is also evident in South Africa, the primary market in Africa, where all Cerelac baby cereal products have 4 grams or more of added sugar per serving. Similarly, in Brazil, the world’s second-largest market with sales of approximately $150 million in 2022, three-quarters of Cerelac baby cereals (known as Mucilon) contain added sugar, averaging 3 grams per serving.
Reports indicate that Nestle adjusts the sugar content of Cerelac in Asian countries differently from developed markets such as the US and Europe.
According to Euromonitor International, Cerelac is the leading baby cereal brand globally, with sales surpassing $1 billion in 2022. Notably, a significant portion of these sales, about 40 per cent, occurs in low- and middle-income countries, with Brazil and India alone accounting for a considerable share.
Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, sent samples of the Nestle’s baby food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing. The results revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of 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.
Nestle India, told several publications that the firm reduced added sugars by up to 30 per cent in its infant cereals portfolio over the past five years. The company’s statement added, “We regularly review our portfolio and continue to innovate and reformulate our products to further reduce the level of added sugars without compromising on quality, safety and taste.” The Public Eye findings were first reported by the Guardian.
