I am an outspoken critic of Nestlé's unethical business practices. Although I have been aware of some of the issues with Nestlé for years, I have become more aware of the depth and breadth of the issues since my interaction with both Nestlé and the Nestlé Family Bloggers starting last September. This post provides an overview of the Nestlé problem, links to key resources, and links to my past posts and discussion on this issue.
Overview of Nestlé's Unethical Business Practices
Nestlé is accused by experts of unethical business practices such as:
- Promoting infant formula with misleading and harmful strategies that violate the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and put babies at risk (see Baby Milk Action's Briefing on Nestle Updated July 2010 and the Boycott Nestle – and other action to protect infant health blog);
- Using suppliers that violate human rights (e.g purchasing milk from Mugabe, buying cocoa from suppliers that use child slaves) and destroy the environment (e.g. palm oil from rainforest);
- Controlling and abusing of water sources in its bottled water operations (e.g. in United States and in Brazil);
- Promoting unhealthy food, especially for young children;
- Trade union busting activities and denying the rights of workers to collectively bargain;
- …and more (see Nestle Critics Portal and Corporate Watch: Nestle SA: Corporate Crimes).
Nestlé defends its unethical business practices and uses doublespeak, denials and deception in an attempt to cover up or justify those practices. When laws don't exist or fail to hold Nestlé to account, it takes public action to force Nestlé to change. Public action can take on many forms, including boycotting Nestlé brands, helping to spread the word about Nestlé's unethical business practices, and putting pressure on the government to pass legislation that would prevent Nestlé from doing things that put people, animals and the environment at risk.
My past posts on Nestlé
I've always posted about corporate ethics, breastfeeding support, and the unethical marketing tactics of infant formula companies. However, I think the first time I wrote a post specifically about Nestlé was in September 2009. I had heard that a number of bloggers were going to a Nestlé Family event being hosted at Nestlé's USA headquarters in California. I asked a number of them on twitter what message they were going to take to Nestlé about its unethical marketing of infant formula and a few of them asked me what I would like them to ask or asked me to send them further information. So I wrote a post…
An open letter to the attendees of the Nestle Family blogger event
That post got a lot of attention. More than 50 trackbacks (many of which are mentioned in Best for Babes anthology of the firestorm), more than 200 comments, and more than 10,000 page views within a few days. It spurred a lot of conversation and debate on twitter, on my blog, and on other people's blogs. It resulted in a Nestlé executive offering to answer my questions by phone. I did have questions, but figured it would be more transparent to do it in writing. So I asked them 17 questions on issues like breastfeeding support, compliance with the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, health claims on their packaging, free formula samples, audits of their marketing practices, the history of the boycott, chocolate and slave labour, sodium in processed foods and more…
Follow-up questions for Nestle
The link for the follow-up questions provides links to the answers I received from Nestlé and my analysis of their answers, frequently pointing out doublespeak or missing information in their responses. Since then, I have continued to write a variety of posts on issues related to Nestlé and on my decision and the decision of others with regards to the Nestlé sponsorship of BlogHer '10. I will continue to point out business practices by Nestlé and other companies that undermine parents, put babies at risk, violate human rights and hurt the environment because staying silent or ignoring issues like this further enables horrible inhumane behaviour.
Want to boycott Nestle?
The Nestlé boycott has been going on for more than 30 years and Nestlé is still one of the three most boycotted companies in Britain. Although Nestlé officials would like to claim that the boycott has ended, it is still very much alive. But it needs to get bigger in order to have a greater impact. Nestlé owns a lot of brands and is the biggest food company in the world, so people wishing to boycott their brands need to do a bit of homework first to familiarize themselves with the brand names to avoid in the stores. For example, Butterfinger and Stouffer's are two brands being represented as sponsors at BlogHer '10 in August, and they are both owned by Nestlé.
Tweet your support! Blog your message! Share on facebook!
Are you on twitter? Let people know that you do not support Nestlé's unethical business practices. Tweet your message to Nestlé and to others using the hash tag #noNestle.
Or, if you have a blog, write your own post telling people about your concerns with Nestlé and let them know what you are doing about it. Feel free to quote the entire section above on Nestlé's unethical business practices and/or to link to this post or any of the other resources listed here for more information.
On facebook? Share this post or any of the resources I've listed above to inform your friends about Nestlé's unethical business practices.
Spread the word!
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
I wrote a post about it a couple months ago:
http://stlouissmartmama.blogspot.com/search/label/Nestle%20boycott
I’ll probably need to update soon b/c you’ve covered so much that I didn’t know!
Thank you for your activism, your intent, and your care for the wellness of women and children. With the advent of “chocolate formula” this year (my blog post and video:http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/chocolate-formula-more-sugar-than-a-pop-tart/comment-page-1/), I am stunned at the marketing and the greed that surrounds direct to consumer messages re: nutrition for infants and children. Often marketers use “nutrition” as a advertisements for products that detract from it.
Your post spawned a memory for me. My mom and dad did the US Peace Corps in the late 1960′s. They taught at a girls’ school in rural Kenya. At the time, Nestle was handing out formula to new mothers for free (of course, this practice goes on all over the world today!) and then not providing support thereafter. Mothers breast milk dried up and then families left dependent on formula for their infants couldn’t afford to purchase formula they needed. More infants suffered from malnutrition.
As a young girl, I always wanted my mom to buy this Nestle Strawberry powder that other kids at school were mixing into milk. I really really wanted it; I offered to use my allowance to buy it. My mom refused and explained her rationale—that she would NEVER buy a product made my Nestle. She was horrified at what she’d seen. She told me the stories over and over again.
To this day, I avoid Nestle products. And I thank you for your strong voice and courage to work so hard to care for all children all over the world.
That part about handing out formula and then not giving the moms support is sickening today. Of course the same thing happens here in America, but at least here usually moms can use government agencies like WIC to get food for their babies. It’s so sad and really just shows how broken our systems of governments are, whether is in Africa or America, they just can’t or won’t protect mothers and babies from the interests of big business.
I use Nestle Good Start formula for my child. Never heard of all this stuff before… ??
Miranda:
A lot of people haven’t heard of it. That is why I do my best to educate people, as do numerous non-profit organizations such as Greepeace, Corporate Accountability International, Baby Milk Action and others.
Do you think Nestles would advertise their underhandedness? Nestles is buying more and more American companies. They need to be stopped. Ice Mountain and Ozarka water are now nestle controlled I will no longer buy these waters. Sams club /Walmart are in cahoots with Nestles. I buy only Crystal Gyser now. Read the fine print on the water you buy.
Philbert:
If I do have to buy bottled water, I’ll buy a non-Nestle brand. However, the best option is to not buy it at all.
We boycotted Nestle in the 70′s when I was nursing my children. I didn’t realize they were still up to the same old tricks. Spread the word & let the boycott continue!
i blogged about it here: http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/2010/08/03/raising-awareness-about-nestles-unethical-business-practices/
Since my daughter is off to college I was unaware of many of these practices of Nestle, unlike the moms who have younger kids. I am absolutely appalled. Luckily there are only a couple of products I use from them so those will be easy to cut out to join the boycott.
A friend at BlogHer tweeted a pic of some Nestle products. My response was to say but they’re Nestle, #noNestle. It amazes and depresses me that ppl still haven’t heard about the Nestle business practises.
Great stuff! Good links for further information
))
All the best.
really? with such a great and already a household name? This is a new learning for me. Thanks for really showing what’s what at least we have known something beyond their success.
You should maybeline and Body shop to your list, L’oreal owns shares in the both of them.
No nestle products in my house at all, threw out everything I bought not realising they were part of nestle, my hubby has given up his favourite coffee and even my 5 year old daughter knows not to ask for them, explained to her they try to stop babies getting mummies milk which she knows is what babies are supposed to have.
Certainly appreciate the good efforts of you people about Nestle and
bad baby-formula marketing etc. However I have read _content_ labels
on some baby formula packages. Looks terriblle(?!) In particular
43.2% by weight corn syrup. In 1908 book by RIchard Johnson about
new discoveries. Diseases in Western civilization caused/worsened by
huge quantities of fructose. as in corn product. Statistical evidence
it is harmful: children show some signs of trouble BEFORE old enough
eat junk foods usually blamed. Still on formulas… _The Sugar Fix_ by
Johnson. Truly Yrs, A. G.
P. S. So maybe…stuff about _content_ on other sites?? And hazard to
attack corporate giants, etc..
I also grew up with mom telling me about Nestle’s unethical practices in Africa, but neither of us realized that it’s still going on and not just in Africa. And stupid question but does anyone know where I can get pumpkin pie filling other than Libby’s brand? Like does Target or Wal-Mart sell store-brand maybe? I think it would be awesome to compile a page of suggestions for Nestle alternatives, esp for the products like Libby’s that seem somewhat unique but are surely replaceable!
Maman a Droit
Have you checked somewhere like Whole Foods? There must be organic brands of it. I know that we have lots of options here in Canada that are not Libby’s.
beware! Libby’s packs under many names and places store brand lables on many of their packed fruits and vegitables. With out a list of brand names libby packs under you can’t be sure who put what into your can.
Libby’s Pumpkin is owned by Nestle, but Libby’s vegetables are not. That said, they may be partnering in some way (as many do in the incestuous food industry).
Trader Joe’s sells organic pumpkin puree’. It’s not already spiced, so you have to do that yourself. But it’s BETTER and worth it. I had no idea about this Nestle stuff and I’ve been buying Libby’s for years. Guess I’ll ONLY stock up on the Trader Joe’s stuff now!
I also found a brand called Farmer’s Market on Amazon that sells both plain pumpkin and spiced pumpkin.
You may want to consider boycotting Amazon too, regarding their stocking/sales of books that support pedophilia.
Donna:
Um…I just wrote about that: Amazon Kindle Facilitates Crimes Against Children.
Thanks for the list and info. I do not buy Nestle or Gerbers but I was unaware that Nestle owned all of those brands
I just came across your site and I have never heard of this either. Thanks so much for all the info and links you’ve put together. I’ve been reading tons and although I don’t have any Nestle products in my home (it’s easy if we keep it simple, organic and natural) I will be on the lookout. I’ll miss that Haagen-Danz ice cream once in a while, but not worth it. Thanks so much! Let the boycott begin! I’ll be blogging about it
Also, I was wondering if you could have your badge available to those that want to use it in their blog?
i don’t care
Thank you for providing this information and especially the links. @Maman A Droit, it’s super easy to make your own filling with a pie pumpkin. You can steam, microwave, or bake (best!) a cut up pie pumpkin, scrape out the meat, mash it up (or puree it, if inclined) and use it just like canned. It’s so much sweeter when you bake it. Also, my kids like to just eat it straight up. You can freeze it for a year, so if you make it, make a bunch and save the rest for later (pumpkin stew!). Good stuff.
Have any of you heard of the incident of Nestle sending their bad baby formula to Africa and it killing so many babies there? I guess an ingredient was bad in it so they had to pull it from the shelves here in America.They sent it there so they could get a large tax write off. It’s sickening.
My mother taught us about this when we were young and I teach my children. How sad that it has gone on so long.
this is poop
kids are annoying anyway
My daughter will be six months old in a couple of weeks, and my doctor told me to start her on a little bit of rice cereal then. What brands of baby nutrition products are good? Is Heinz ok?
Adrienne:
All of the companies that also sell formula (Heinz included) are involved in some degree of unethical marketing practices, but Nestle is the biggest and the worst.
Commercial rice cereal is highly processed and not really necessary. You can start your baby straight on fruits and vegetables. The info on starting solids on kellymom.com is quite good.
I have five children and we have never used formula or baby-specific nutrition items. They all have *so much* sugar in them! Even the little teething biscuits have sugar. Three of my five have not started solids at all until their first birthdays; two have been so eager that they almost leaped onto the table to get at my plate so they are given chunks of bread, baby carrots to gnaw on, bits of apple (without the peel), crackers, things off of my own plate (no dairy items though, they are still nursing until their 2nd year – sometimes a bit longer – and so milk items don’t come for them until later.) I’ve learned the hard way that getting sugar into them too early is a HUGE mistake. Delay sugary items as much as possible until at least their 2nd birthday because it helps them with their ability to walk away from sugars later on. Our 3yo daughter is a sugar hound. She got it early from her bigger siblings and now she CLIMBS to get it, sneaks candy, eats it whenever she can get it, even though she knows she’ll get in trouble for it. It’s awful and difficult to control. Our 12 yo, 10 yo, both did not get sweets often when younger and though they like a soda or something on occasion they can take it or leave it for the most part. Good luck with your dear one – don’t be too quick to jump on the solids bandwagon, go slow and you’ll get there all right. Few children “reject” solids in the end (I was threatened that this might happen if I didn’t give our oldest hearty eater solids at 4 MONTHS) – he eats more than his Pop so I’d say we’re doing okay and so will you. Go with your gut and what feels right to you.
I dont really understand why its so bad to give babies formula. My 3 kids are just fine with fomula. Everyone here seems to bash formula fed babies like something is wrong with them. For me it was so much better for me to formula feed. Made life simple instead of being tied down. I know everyone here is going to freak out, but I need my sleep, to work and get other things done around the house. My first one slept through the night at 3-4 months, the second 2 months old and the 3rd 2 weeks old. Made me a much happier mommy.
It isn’t “bad” to give babies formula, but it does have risks that breastfeeding does not.
What is “bad” is the way that formula companies often market their products. They should be able to sell them, but should not be trying to convince moms that they cannot possibly breasfeed successfully.
The problem is when Nestle gives formula to low-income mothers (example, WIC), and mothers in 3rd world countries. In WIC cases, they don’t give enough to feed the baby for the whole month, many mothers water down the formula which is very dangerous.
In poor countries Nestle hands out samples for a couple of months, by the time the mother runs out of formula, her breastmilk had dried out and she has to continue feeding formula she cannot afford. Again, many water down the formula, and that’s if they even have access to clean water to prepare it to begin with.
We’re not bashing mothers who CHOOSE not to breastfeed, that’s your personal choice. We’re talking about a company who (knowing the dangers!) markets and gives formula to people who cannot afford it to get them “hooked”. These people then make dangerous decisions in order to feed their babies; without the influence of Nestle, they could have possibly breastfed. And that’s not much of a choice, is it?
Wow! I feel like I’ve had my head in the sand.
Could you get me on the fast track on obtaining information on food products like Nestle that should be avoided? This type of information is not my forte. Thank you for researching this and helping us help others!!!!
In Reply to original commenter…that makes me sick too! I don’t understand how some people can sleep at night???
Living currently in Mexico, Nestle’s presence here is downright creepy. As a Mom with little other choice here, if I want to give my daughter Cheerios (our “health food” store is a joke), or some Gerber baby food (I make my own, but you can’t always find enough fruit at any of the stores, so we do give her some jarred fruit), we have no choice! We don’t have a Whole Foods down the road! Nestle is probably over half of the choice in brands. I hate them, but…we CAN’T boycott them!
Wow, there is so much here I wasn’t aware of. Thank you for posting.
I will never understand how companies producing products for children can be so cavalier about victimizing them. Shameful.
Great website….about to undertake research for my degree looking at the nestle boycott and the effectiveness of the media in raising awareness of the scandal….just got my hands on The baby killers… from War on want.. back in the 1970s…should be useful…can you reccomend any journals-websites-books etc they would be useful….keep up the good work.Cheers. Sam uk.
this is crazy. i started boycotting nestle after working at chilis and we had to stop serving one of the dishes and throw out all the spice that went on it until -nestle- sent more. just a simple e-mail instructing to do so. no reason why. this was a week after i learned in my medical sociology class about them sending no-good formula to africa which killed lots of babies
i stopped buying nestle after these events 2 years ago and just thought it was my own personal boycott. i had no idea until stumbling upon this it was a world-wide movement.
be the change you wana see in the world
oh and thanks to this author for being so damn persuasive and gutsy
I live in Israel, and here they have a lot of Nestle products. Nestle also owns about half of Osem, the biggest food manufacturer in Israel. Luckily I found a supermarket that doesn’t carry any Nestle or Osem products. I can’t remember the name of the supermarket, but their logo is a shopping cart with “1/2″ next to it; they’re in Rishon LeZion and you can see it from the highway. I also found this handy link for whenever I shop somewhere else:
http://www.angelfire.com/ill/nestleboycott/alternatives.html
nestle rules
sorry nestle doesnt rule
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