Nestle is the worlds largest food company, controlling about half of the global baby milk market, setting marketing trends, which influence other companies. This Swiss multi-national, produces baby milk powder for retail in third world countries. One and a half million children die every year from unsafe bottle-feeding in third world countries (Source: United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF). The high status Western products hold in third world countries, together with lack of education, has led to the preference of Nestle's powdered milk over capable mother's breast feeding.
Nestle abuse their powers in third world countries. One of Nestle's most successful marketing tactics is to give free or subsidised baby milk powder to hospitals. In many cases, enough milk is given to ensure that most, if not all of the hospital's newborn babies are bottle-fed. Mothers are often given a sample tin to take home. Giving bottles to new-borns makes breast-feeding failure more likely. The baby is then dependent on artificial milk. Once home the mother has to buy the milk for herself. Bottle-feeding is very expensive, poor mothers often over-dilute the powder to make it last longer. This leads to malnutrition. In poor conditions, the water mixed with the milk is often unsafe, leading to diarrhoea, dehydration and often death.
Nestle baby milk powders are often written in inappropriate languages. For example, in 1992 the Indian Baby Food Act called for important parts of baby milk powder text to be in English and Hindi. The labels of Nestle's Lactogen 1 infant formulae have some important information in English only. Less than 4 % of India's population speak and read English. When questioned about inadequate labelling in South Africa, Nestle stated that "due to cost restraints of small runs it has not been viable to change languages for specific export countries."
However, you, as the consumer, can change this, if you use your consumer power and purchase substitute goods in place of Nestle products. As profit margins fall, Nestle will soon be forced to stop this defamation of breast milk and lower the level of advertising of the powdered milk in third world countries.
Nescafe is Nestle's highest profile brand, accounting for one-eighth of the company's global sales. It is therefore the main target for the boycott in the UK. CafeDirect is a perfect substitute, delicious coffee with the knowledge that the workers are getting a fair deal. Fair Trade produces a wide range of fairly traded products. Your role is easy, boycott Nestle and eat fairly traded products instead. Make this world more equitable.
For more information
Baby Milk Action
International Baby Food Action Network