How Nestlé Profits by Turning Kids in Lower-Income Countries into Sugar Addicts
Children's obesity as a business model
In a world where social media reigns supreme, Meagan Adonis, the self-proclaimed “blind goddess,” captivates her 125,000 followers with a seemingly innocent glimpse into her life as a mother in Johannesburg. “Now, let’s go and prepare his favorite meal of the day. Little bodies need big support, with Nestlé Cerelac being the perfect addition to our mealtime,” she tells her audience in a cheerful tone.
Meanwhile, in the bustling streets of Jakarta, towering billboards proclaim “Grow Smart,” promoting Nestlé’s Nido brand, known locally as Dancow. “Inspired by mum’s love for baby nutrition, Dancow is the healthiest choice,” the campaign boasts. This finely honed strategy extends to Brazil, where Cerelac (Mucilon) is touted for “the benefits of nutrients that contribute to babies’ immunity and brain development.”
Even health professionals join the chorus. Nutritionist Kenia Lawrence explains in an Instagram video from Panama that “Nido’s specialized nutrition system is designed to protect every stage of your child’s development.”
At the heart of this global manipulation lies Nestlé’s insidious marketing strategy. Through the use of influencers, the endorsement of health professionals, and carefully crafted health and nutrition claims, they’ve created a powerful web of influence, shaping parents’ decisions with an iron grip disguised as a gentle touch.
Fifty years after the infamous “baby killers” infant formula scandal, Nestlé proclaims its “unwavering commitment” to “responsible marketing” under the slogan “Happy on the outside, protected from the inside.” But do these infant cereals and powdered milk truly offer “the best nutrition”?
The answer lies in the most notorious dietary villain: sugar.
Notably, none of these “reliable” sources mention the added sugar in each portion of their products. Because Nestlé appears to have some cynical double standards in this regard. And, once again, the Global South becomes the unwitting target of an unscrupulous, predatory corporation that exploits even the most vulnerable: babies and children.
All in the name of profit.
A Sweet Deception
Nestlé, positioning itself as the world leader in infant nutrition, meticulously targets each stage of a child’s early years. The food giant currently controls 20% of the baby food market, valued at nearly $110 billion. At the heart of their scheme lie Cerelac and Nido, Nestlé’s cash cows in low- and middle-income countries. These brands, promoted as aids to “healthier lives,” raked in over $2.5 billion in 2022 alone.
But their recipe for success is laced with sweet deception: for Nestlé, not all babies are equal when it comes to added sugar.
While Nestlé sells sugar-free infant products in Switzerland and other European markets where its executives reside, it shamelessly markets sugar-enhanced versions in lower-income countries. This isn’t just a pinch of sweetener — we’re talking about serving that defy World Health Organisation guidelines and fueling an obesity epidemic in vulnerable populations.
The evidence is damning. A joint investigation by Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network analyzed around 150 Nestlé products in lower-income countries. The results? 93% of Cerelac infant cereal examined contained added sugar — between 4 and 6 grams per serving — in products intended for 6-month-old babies (!).
The duplicity is staggering. In Switzerland, Nestlé markets its biscuit-flavored cereals for six-month-olds as having “no added sugar.” Yet in Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, the same product contains 6 grams of added sugar per serving. The highest offender? A product sold in the Philippines with 7.3 grams per serving, also targeted at six-month-old infants.
The deception doesn’t stop there.
This trend, while less pronounced, extends to the Nido brand, popular among children aged one to three, with sales surpassing $1 billion in 2022. The findings: 72% of products contain added sugar, averaging nearly two grams per serving. The highest value — 5.3 grams per serving — was found in a product sold in Panama.
Ironically, in Brazil, Nido’s second-largest market, the company claims to avoid adding sugar to its products, citing concerns for children’s health: “It’s ideal to avoid consuming these ingredients in childhood, as the sweet flavor can influence a child’s preference for this type of food in the future,” warns the food giant on its Brazilian website.
Yet, the company continues to aggressively market these very products in lower-income countries, exploiting the addictive properties of sugar to boost sales.
This blatant double standard is not just unjustifiable — it’s criminal.
Profiting From Childhood Obesity
Nestlé’s practice of adding sugar to products in the developing world while avoiding it in Switzerland says it all: that’s a manufacturer deliberately addicting children to high-sugar products from an early age.
This isn’t just an immoral business — it is straight out profiting from childhood obesity.
Adding sugar to baby and young children’s food is unnecessary and highly addictive — potentially more so than cocaine. It creates a vicious cycle: children develop a preference for sweet tastes, leading to increased consumption of sugary foods. This habit significantly raises the risk of nutrition-related disorders in adulthood, including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. While Nestlé prominently advertises the vitamins and minerals in its products, it remains silent about added sugars, leaving parents in the dark about what they’re really feeding their children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been sounding the alarm for years, but their warnings fall on deaf ears at Nestlé HQ. The organization is deeply alarmed by the dramatic rise in obesity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, reaching “epidemic proportions” as it increases non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular issues, cancer, and diabetes. The primary culprit? Ultra-processed foods — Nestlé’s bread and butter.
The numbers are quite shocking: according to the WHO, childhood obesity has exploded tenfold in just four decades. An estimated 39 million children under five are now overweight or obese, with the vast majority living in low- and middle-income countries.
The WHO emphasizes that the first two years of a child’s life are crucial. Proper nutrition during this period reduces mortality, lowers the risk of chronic diseases, and promotes overall better development. In 2022, the agency called for a ban on added sugars and sweeteners in food products for children under three. They also urged the industry to proactively support public health goals by reformulating their baby food products and called on manufacturers to put an end to their exploitative marketing practices such as nutrition and health claims that “idealize the product, imply that it is better than family foods, and mask the risks.”
Yet Nestlé appears to be ignoring these pleas. So, why are products sold in the Global South so different from those in high-income countries?
The answer is as simple: it’s a modern form of colonization, exploiting vulnerable populations for cold, hard profit.
The Global Sugar Conspiracy
National legislation often relies on the Codex Alimentarius, a set of international standards developed by an intergovernmental commission to protect consumers’ health and ensure fair food trade practices. However, these standards permit added sugar in baby foods up to certain limits — shockingly, up to 20 percent in infant cereals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly criticized these Codex standards for baby foods, deeming them “inadequate,” especially regarding sugar content. Children establish their food preferences early, prompting the WHO to call for updated standards aligned with their guidelines, particularly advocating for a ban on added sugars.
While WHO recommendations remain free from industry influence, the same can’t be said for Codex. There, you’ll find heavy lobbying from the sugar industry, baby food manufacturers, and others — all present where decisions are made. In a recent review of follow-up formula standards, industry lobbyists made up over 40 percent of participants.
Though 70% of countries have adopted laws based on the Code, a web of loopholes and weak implementation in low- and middle-income countries, frequently due to pressure from the baby food industry and exporting nations, leave the children vulnerable. These products contribute to a global shift towards ultra-processed diets, linked not only to weight gain and obesity but also to numerous other health issues.
If Nestlé truly cared about health, it would follow the WHO guidelines and stop their sugar-coated assault on babies and young children on sugar, regardless of their birthplace.
But the corporation’s cynical double standards have exposed this as a blatant lie.
Clearly, Nestlé’s reverting to its old playbook. How long will we allow this corporate giant to sweeten its profits at the expense of our children’s health?
Be loud.
Very sad. We've been blind all over the years with sugar deception indeed.
Great reporting Ricky!