Bangladesh to investigate effects of added sugar in Nestlé's baby foods on children

Bangladesh will scientifically investigate the effects of added sugar in Nestlé's baby food products, authorities concerned said today (17 April).

"We will investigate the issue of added sugar in baby [Nestlé] foods. If it is found through scientific investigation that this is causing any harmful effect on children's bodies, then we will take action against them," Zakaria, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BSFA), the statutory national food safety regulatory agency, told The Business Standard. 

Steps will be taken in this regard very soon, he said.

Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate Nestlé is facing staunch criticism after a recent report by Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, revealed that the company's use of harmful added sugar in baby foods is higher in poorer countries compared to the developed ones.

'Products manufactured in compliance with international standards'

meanwhile, Nestlé Banladesh today said its products manufactured in Bangladesh are in full and strict compliance with international standards and local specifications.

"Compliance is an essential characteristic of Nestlé Bangladesh and we will never compromise on that," Debabrata Roy Chowdhury, director of legal, RSA and corporate affairs of Nestlé Bangladesh, told The Business Standard in a statement today.

"We also ensure that our products manufactured in Bangladesh are in full and strict compliance with CODEX standards (a commission established by WHO and FAO) and local specifications (as required) pertaining to the requirements of all nutrients including added sugars," said Debabrata, who is also the company secretary of Nestlé Bangladesh.

"We would like to assure you that our Infant Cereal products are manufactured to ensure the appropriate delivery of nutritional requirements such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, iron and others for early childhood.

He stated that reduction of added sugars is a priority for Nestlé Bangladesh

"Over the past 5 years, we have already reduced added sugars by up to 40%, depending on the variant. We regularly review our portfolio and continue to innovate and reformulate our products to further reduce the level of added sugars, without compromising on nutrition, quality, safety, and taste," he said.

Debabrata added that Nestlé Bangladesh doesn't compromise and will never compromise on the nutritional quality of our products

More sugar in products sold in poorer countries

According to Public Eye's investigations, traces of sugar and honey have been found in infant milk and cereal products Nestlé sells in many poorer countries, including Bangladesh, in violation of international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases.

The amount of added sugar and honey in baby foods is higher in Bangladesh compared to India and Pakistan.

In Bangladesh, added per serving (in grammes) in Cerelac were found to be 3.3g. The added sugar content is declared on the packaging, but the associated risks are glossed over.  The case was similar for Nido, another popular brand. 

In India and Pakistan, it was 2.7g, although no declaration was found on the packaging tested from the latter. 

In Nestlé's main European markets, including the UK, there is no added sugar in formulas for young children. While some cereals aimed at older toddlers contain added sugar, there is none in products targeted at babies between six months and one year. 

The presence of such sugar content is alarming in Bangladesh, where there is a growing prevalence of obesity, according to health experts. 

Added sugar and honey were used in baby food to make it tastier, Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, professor and head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, told The Business Standard on Wednesday (17 April).

"Later, they can't eat less sweet food. It is definitely harmful to health. After long-term consumption of such foods, children will gain weight and there will be heightened risk of various types of non-communicable diseases," added Dr Reza, who has been researching non-communicable diseases and harmful aspects of salt and sugar in food in Bangladesh for a long time. 

Following the publication of the Public Eye report, shares of Nestle India Ltd dipped up to 5.4% on Thursday at Rs2,409.55 on the Bombay Stock Exchange after the multinational FMCG major was found adding sugar to baby food products sold in India but not in Europe and UK. Following the revelation, the health ministry was also said to be concerned about the issue.

The added sugar, reportedly in the form of sucrose or honey, was found in samples of Cerelac, a cereal for children aged between six months and two years, as well as Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for infants aged one and above.

Previously on the day, the Indian government took suo-moto cognizance of these reports, with a top official stating, "We have taken cognizance of the report regarding Nestle and will investigate the matter after doing due diligence," as reported by Business Today TV.

Nestlé shareholders push for more healthy offerings amid scandal

In the meantime, Nestlé shareholders have called on the company to increase the number of healthy foods it offers amid the scandal regarding the high sugar baby foods.

The shareholders are expected to vote on a resolution in this regard at the company's general meeting today (18 April), reports Euronews.

A group of company investors, including Legal and General Investment Management (LGIM), with investments amounting to a total of $1.68 trillion in assets support the resolution, according to the report.

"As Nestlé has consistently failed to set out how it will shift the balance of its sales towards healthier food options, concerned investors have been left with no option but to bring forward a resolution at the company's AGM in April," said Catherine Howarth, Chief Executive at ShareAction, the NGO that coordinated the resolution.

Last year, Nestlé announced new health targets, pledging to increase sales of more nutritious products by 2030 by 50%, which, according to the shareholders, is not ambitious enough.

The resolution calls for an internationally recognised target to be set to significantly reduce the sales of unhealthy foods worldwide.

Nestlé's web page reads that "driven by our company purpose – enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future – we are focusing our efforts on ensuring that our product brands enable healthier lives".

Howarth explained in a press release that, despite the company's claims, three-quarters of its global sales are unhealthy products that contain high levels of salt, sugar and fats.

The company controls 20% of the world's baby food market which amounts to nearly $70 billion (€656 billion). In low- and middle-income countries, Nestlé's baby food brands made more than $2.5 billion (€2.3 billion) in 2022, according to Euromonitor.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends avoiding the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and foods with added sugar in the first year of life.

WHO also advises that added sugar should be forbidden in all baby foods and states that total sugar should be limited to 15% of energy intake