Nestle, although being one of the most successful food-based companies in the world, has continuously resorted to unethical marketing strategies to sell many of its products. For example, Nestle has been aggressively promoting infant formula, especially to poor countries. Issues have been brought up because their promotions have increased infant deaths and health problems.
The picture above is the picture of Nestle’s baby formula sold in developing countries. Mothers in these regions are made to believe that such products are a better substitute to breastfeeding. Lack of education among people in developing countries makes it very easy for Nestle to market its products and increase its profit margins. Organizations such as the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) claim that Nestlé’s promotion of formulas over breastfeeding has lead to serious health problems and deaths among infants in less developed countries. The usage of such infant formulas has caused great loss to the health of infants in different ways. For example, since the formula needs water, contamination is a major issue. Also, because it’s expensive, mothers add more water to make it last longer, which causes malnutrition. Milk powder also doesn’t fulfill the nutrition requirements (e.g. – antibodies) that natural breast milk provides, so babies aren’t being protected from viruses.
Nestle has been accused globally for this practise as they manipulated mothers’ mindsets by convincing them that the formula was much healthier for their children than the natural breastfeeding. A company like Nestle, which is already so profitable and famous internationally should not take advantage of vulnerable people and should care about their consumers especially because it pertains to their health and longevity.
Resources:
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=240
http://info.babymilkaction.org/nestlefree
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé_boycott#The_baby_milk_issue