Public Eye accuses Nestlé of high sugar content in Africa
Keystone-SDA
Swiss NGO Public Eye has again accused the Swiss food giant Nestlé of selling over-sugared baby food in Africa.
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In a new analysis, Public Eye and partner organisations found high levels of added sugar in more than 90% of around 100 Cerelac products from 20 countries, in some cases up to almost two cubes per serving.
In Europe and Switzerland, Nestlé offers comparable products without added sugar, Public Eye announced on Tuesday. The organisation criticised an “unacceptable double standard” and warned of health risks such as early sugar habituation, obesity and secondary diseases.
It also criticised the lack of transparency: two-thirds of the products do not show the added sugar on the packaging.
+ Nestlé says less than half of its mainstream food and drinks are considered ‘healthy’
Nestlé rejects accusations
A Nestlé spokesperson rejected the accusations as “misleading and unfounded”. The spokesperson told the news agency AWP that it was scientifically inaccurate to describe the sugars derived from cereals and naturally contained in fruit as refined sugars added to the product.
Consumers are not being misled, Nestlé added. It said the reported sugar levels were in line with local regulations and the limits were below the United Nations’ standards for food safety and product quality (Codex Alimentarius). Variants without added sugar were already available in 97% of markets, including Africa, according to Nestlé. It added that the aim was to reach 100% by the end of 2025.
+ Nestlé adds sugar to baby food in low-income countries, report finds
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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