Is Nestle Adding Sugar to Baby Food in the Global South? | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Is Nestle Adding Sugar to Baby Food in the Global South? | Vantage with Palki Sharma
Consumer giant Nestle has been accused of adding sugar to baby products sold in global south countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Studies found that the same products sold in Western markets do not have added sugar, raising questions about the company's attitude towards lower- and middle-income countries. While most countries don't have stringent rules on limiting sugar levels in baby food, global guidelines warn against adding sugar to such products. Nestle claims it follows global guidelines and that recipes depend on local regulations and availability of ingredients. What explains Nestle's contrasting approach? Why is added sugar harmful for infants? Palki Sharma tells you.
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Nestle | Sugar | Baby Food | Asia | Africa | Latin America | Firstpost | World News | News Live | Vantage | Palki Sharma | News
#nestle #sugar #babyfood #asia #africa #latinamerica #firstpost #vantageonfirstpost #palkisharma #worldnews
Vantage is a ground-breaking news, opinions, and current affairs show from Firstpost. Catering to a global audience, Vantage covers the biggest news stories from a 360-degree perspective, giving viewers a chance to assess the impact of world events through a uniquely Indian lens.
The show is anchored by Palki Sharma, Managing Editor, Firstpost.
By breaking stereotypes, Vantage aims to challenge conventional wisdom and present an alternative view on global affairs, defying the norm and opening the door to new perspectives. The show goes beyond the headlines to uncover the hidden stories - making Vantage a destination for thought-provoking ideas.
Vantage airs Monday to Friday at 9 PM IST on Firstpost across all leading platforms.
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[@wolfmangoland7972]

The Bhopal gas disaster of 1984 exposed Western hypocrisy, regarding industrial practices and responsibilities of multinational corporations.

[@altmosetz_01]

As well of the Indian Govt. Rajiv Gandhi Govt actually helped Warren Anderson leave India with the Congress Minister Kamal Nath & his son's Span Aviation playing a key role. PM Rajiv Gandhi's friend Adil Shahryar was serving a 35-year prison sentence in the USA and was released in June, 6 months after Warren Anderson was helped to leave India for US

[@surfexel647]

With government help they escaped

[@dawn_alex]

They just renamed the company to Eveready. Still does Business in India.

[@wolfmangoland7972]

@@dawn_alex Thank you for the info.

[@aadu.thoma44]

​@@dawn_alex Yea bro they sell batteries.

[@wolfmangoland7972]

In the US Nestle would have a Class Action Lawsuit demanding over a billion dollars.

[@sarathbabu4091]

these are the things we have to learn from US and west institutions and standards

[@tomcherry4501]

Kuch nahi hoga nestle Wale 100 crore bribe dekar fssai k dalal kosugary foods continue sold karenge india mein

[@somebodyandnobody-fs9dr]

​@@sarathbabu4091But the USA is not a reference in healthy consumption

[@1_star_reviews]

@@somebodyandnobody-fs9drIn the US we don’t feed our babies canned baby foods. We make the food ourselves, chop it down to tiny pieces and feed it to them. We’re all not as unhealthy as the world would make you believe. We’d never give our infants food that we don’t know where it came from. Africa makes up 24% of the world’s childhood obesity problem.

[@david-kd6yj]

sadly, there is no system of class action lawsuit here.

[@malpalmer3269]

Best to avoid these processed foods altogether. Indian culture of feeding babies normal food - but soft food is the best

[@ramansingh5282]

Stop adding everything related to Indian old culture.. If we will have such thoughts we will be backward how people will invest in R&D?? If we will not do R&D we will never sell our products to other countries...

[@SarojSingh-nq5ql]

​@@ramansingh5282 Ur comment is literally not making any sense. He is talking about diet and indeed our older diet was more healthy coz people used to consume natural and healthy food.

[@SarojSingh-nq5ql]

Exactly food pharma has made a wonderful video over it and a pediatrician has told a wonderful homemade baby food.

[@sandeepk8381]

Supreme Court of india going after patanjalli why not these companies ?

[@jatspace]

Its because they are not misleading the consumers. Everybody knows abt this but still choose to use these garbage products mostly cause they dont care or just not educated enough to know the harm these products do.

[@sandeepk8381]

@@jatspace they are misleading consumers there are hundreds of products in india marketed as will make your stronger, taller, whiter when the ingredients are just chemicals all sold by western companies

[@user13rs258]

​@@jatspaceactually they're but writing it in the backside or hiding it into the package somewhere hard to see & find..what? : About what they're scamming us on.. like label & healthiness because we believed in them.. 🙂 but the thing lacks is awareness.. Scamming us with : 1. SUGAR 2. MAIDA 3. PALM OIL Thats all they're making in their industries.. coz 0.1% or even 2% of right ingredients doesn't make that food healthy.. 😏

[@shrutimishra252]

It's bcoz they are spineless puppets serving foreign interests.

[@ramansingh5282]

@jatspace you are not aware about bornvita misleading campaign... Superme court has taken action

[@Cxc21]

Hypocrisy is core of West 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@tomcherry4501]

Kuch nahi hoga nestle Wale 100 crore bribe dekar fssai k dalal kosugary foods continue sold karenge india mein

[@ConstructiveMinds100]

Not true. Anything big or powerful has this tendency. That is why many Indian and Chinese corporations can be painted with the same brush.

[@Cxc21]

@@ConstructiveMinds100 I agree but they don't preach that much like propaganda.,,why doubles standards for Global south countries???

[@englishnews9587]

@@Cxc21 legality is the reason. watch druv rathee's "The pharma files" . palki dont say about government on issue

[@koteswarris8949]

​@@englishnews9587 You lost us at -Dhruv-

[@jinnythomas9815]

Not just nestle - Coca-Cola,Pepsi and similar products do the same

[@stillwrinkled]

Which baby food is made by Pepsi and coca cola?😅

[@tondematongo32]

Coca cola is liquid candy

[@VPannagS]

😂​@@stillwrinkled

[@drrakshandaraj]

Why doesn’t the government make strict rules like Europe?

[@surojeetchatterjee]

Bcs Indian petty beniya companies r famous for adulterated foods mostly. 🤷🏽‍♂️🤣

[@crimsonmoon123]

Because we simply can't afford it. Plus our government and bureaucracy is too busy filling their own pockets.

[@love_cook]

Simple, everyone is involved in the corruption. I know for a fact regarding a certain case, even the super court is corrupt.

[@polamanju]

Good question

[@mohammadikram687]

In Europe the products are even marked with nutri score Like A B C D etc A being most nutritious. So there u don’t even have to go through ingredients. If our own institutions like FSSAI is not doing there job and INSTA influencers are doing theirs then there’s no need of such institutions😢

[@pfdanz]

Due your own research. Boycott Nestlé products. Nestlé has, from the beginning, used questionable sales practices to increase profits at the consumers' expense. There is a good video on KZbin that describes how Nestlé got its start and manipulated public preception on false claims.

[@surojeetchatterjee]

Still makes best Tea milk powder in India. Not a single Indian company is near to Everydays quality. Without Nestle my house tea is incomplete.

[@SarojSingh-nq5ql]

​@@surojeetchatterjee Tell me I'm ignorant and dumb without telling me 🙃 U just need to read the ingredients that's all it takes.

[@surojeetchatterjee]

@@SarojSingh-nq5ql ingredients r better than Indian companies. Indian companies r using palm oil in everything causing more health issues among Indians. First fix that then come to talk about MNCs. Indian companies r famous for food adulteration. Most corrupt practices regarding food is done in India, paying bribes to bureaucrats.

[@surojeetchatterjee]

@@SarojSingh-nq5ql ingredients r better than Indian companies. Those who eat good quality products, they know which is better. Food adulteration is normal with Indian companies. Its a culture of petty beniyas of India.

[@surojeetchatterjee]

@@SarojSingh-nq5ql have u seen Indian companies using excessive palm oil in everything causing health problems ? Or ur part of that petty beniya clan ?

[@monicamccarthy3932]

I am an American woman and this happens even in my country. There are additives in some of our food and packaged items, like colors and preservatives, that are banned in Europe and Canada. Also, Coke and soft drinks available in the US contain high fructose corn syrup, which is extremely harmful to health. We need our government to ban hfcs and force companies to add real sugar instead. Corporations are only interested in profits, not our health. We need to read the labels carefully before consuming. So, this is not just a problem in poor countries, corporations do this in first world countries as well.

[@crimsonmoon123]

True, but the extent to which it happens in the global south is wild. Rampant violations are going on but nobody seems to care cuz human life is of little value down here.

[@FernandaSilva-xj1mg]

A América não é somente os Estados unidos

[@AlOfNorway]

@@crimsonmoon123I think it’s the same in the west honestly. Capitalism has corrupted our society. Expansion and profits over quality and decency. “New” science and products that are supposed to be better are actually just a scam they use to fulfil their goals and targets. We are all unfortunately left to ourselves and our own intellect when deciding what to eat. Yet the answer to all our questions is not far away. Our parents and grandparents knew very well what worked and what didn’t, and all of them just ate natural food with no additives. We are being misled by science and big money, and we are all victims of our own creations. Being natural is the easiest way of life, but being immersed in civilisation unfortunately increases the distance to proper food.

[@Shashi_589]

Europe and Singapore have maintained strict regulations on food safety and its standards.

[@Shashi_589]

Also in Cosmetics whether sold in India or US, you'll find sodium lauryl sulfate another harmful chemical used in abundant.

[@godzillafelis1904]

Very good research and well positioned. Excellent journalism

[@sallysally58]

Nestle was found supplying polluted ground water as mineral water. This was found during course in Supreme Court.

[@wolfmangoland7972]

Excellent Journalism. Please do more videos like these regularly.

[@Timakiwala]

Parents are responsible ::: the pizza burger ladies are more concern for the shape of their breast-- not their own infants. Why only Nestle,, maximum companies are like this who are paying their profit huge % to Govt ministers/Govt machineries... See the packets hanging in all the stores , are poison for kids, even for us. But Govt is busy in Votes & money.

[@Santhiish9]

Even milo is high in sugar, and their main target is kids 🤷🏽‍♂️.. some people do aware about this, Palki.

[@Timakiwala]

Parents are responsible ::: the pizza burger ladies are more concern for the shape of their breast-- not their own infants. Why only Nestle,, maximum companies are like this who are paying their profit huge % to Govt ministers/Govt machineries... See the packets hanging in all the stores , are poison for kids, even for us. But Govt is busy in Votes & money.

[@SaiSS961]

Nestle proved its hypocrisy during the maggi lead saga. They did not even apologise. I hate the company. I think India should start boycotting their products.

[@ankitanandy6076]

Getting Indians to boycott Maggi is next to impossible, it is so much a part of our childhood.

[@wongsoongcheng1245]

The main tool in India's pocket is boycott.

[@SaiSS961]

We can replace maggi, it's not a big deal. Nowadays better tasting and better quality wise products are available in the market. We just need to get rid of the habit of buying maggi that's all.

[@SaiSS961]

Yes, we boycott what's your problem? You are not the one who's eating all the sugar are you? So stop judging others and reflect on your own problems.

[@alphahalogaming3123]

But u still consume Their Products That's why u don't buy anything from grocery shops

[@umeshmendon74]

Milords will b upset if someone accuses FMCG

[@HarshitDwivedi-bi9un]

Then why your papa modiji not making stringent rules 😢

[@achu10mech41]

They will rip apart only local brands 😂😂

[@HarshitDwivedi-bi9un]

@@achu10mech41 yes coz they have treatment for cancer , diabetes and corona fool 😃 😀

[@achu10mech41]

@@HarshitDwivedi-bi9un they are the one who caused it fool why cancer and diabetes were too low before 1900

[@aditya_sharma_0]

​@@HarshitDwivedi-bi9un yes they have treatment of diabetes,in my family I have seen blood sugar go from 105 to 60 and staying there in 2 months.

[@nalenilambourdiere9620]

A few years back, a minister in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe slammed companies for extra sugar in yogurt compared to France

[@henrijoseph5042]

I'm Malaysian and have stopped using Nestle products for more than 12 years.

[@blackphoenix114]

Im surprised its coming out now, they had been doing it for decades now.

[@leventark9812]

Very very important report. They've been doing it more than 100 years. I don't think they see us as human beings. But who owns these companies? I believe they do these intentionally and knowingly.

[@AnonymousAnonymous-dc3jm]

Still doesn't beat Nestle freely giving formula milk to new mothers so that they use the formula instead of breast milk, which stops the mother from producing milk, thus they buy Nestle's formula milk.

[@vikashpal4875]

Which is bad. Mother's breast milk is the best for babies. Anything else is just replacement.

[@paulburick1506]

They years ago gave free baby formula in africa to dry mothers milk.

[@msdolly6101981]

Indian SC has no problem 😅. Only Patanjali is the problem 😅

[@mathurp6889]

Patanjali was false advertising. Nestle wasn't. They clearly mention added sugars on their packages which even though morally wrong, is not a legal crime. Stop worshipping corporations in the name of Ayurveda.

[@libinvarghese8472]

Patanjali is the Nestle of India 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@personalpiku-tf7bx]

Sc is Supreme cunning

[@manuvj915]

When patanjali was caught then only a thought of big jaints like Nestle came to lime lite

[@-rate6326]

Because patanjali isn't strong.

[@nikkiphoenix6628]

Please do follow up on these kind of stories. Thank you for raising awareness on such topics.

[@lakshmanankomathmanalath]

Government should take action

[@KANTHAUSTIN]

In the US Nestle would have a Class Action Lawsuit demanding over a billion dollars. Nestle proved its hypocrisy during the maggi lead saga, and they did not even apologise. India should ban Nestle's products.

[@leocoolguy4138]

Not just Nestlé, many companies do this in FMCG products, be it food, shampoo, chocolate. I've had Hershey from US and in India, they taste very different. In the Indian version one can literally taste the sugar. Even the hair products from a same brand differ in quality.

[@BinuIJK]

Nestle is a dangerous company!

[@TrainsandRockets]

They add sugar and give misleading adds to make all children diabetic and then dependent on they medicine for life... whatever life is left....

[@deepikasharma1326]

Absolutely Right Ma'am Strict regulations and punishments are mandatory

[@N_chanting]

When we Indians go abroad and buy yoghurt, we tend to buy Nestle, since we consider it to be a familiar and safe brand. But guess what, they use beef gelatin to set the curd. And a lot of us have been betrayed due to this. 😢

[@stargazeronesixseven]

🙏 Producing good & safe products to customers everywhere in the world is always the best way to win & secured customers in the long run ... Every act has it Karma! 🙏🕯🌏✌🕊

[@jesus_9981]

Why supreme court is not concentrating non indian products . They are strict about indian products . Why? Bribe is the reason ?

[@aleenaprasannan2146]

Because SC can't convict someone when our government and regulators make laws that set them free? SC isn't the one who make the laws. Unfortunately, adding addictive food grade substances are not a violation of our constitution, so SC don't even have a leevay to make any directions to change the regulations

[@astlinj]

did the bjp governmnet formed any law for the court to intervine? patanjali was a diiferent case they told there product will cure certain diseases. according to law it is wrong.

[@jairasoi7806]

Excellent reporting. Thanks 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@user-ud6mh3os8z]

She speaks clearly and explains in a very nice way. Salute to her journalism. Only facts!!

[@maibege761]

In Nigeria during the days of the late Dora Akunyili as the DG of NAFDAC, our drugs and provisions were the safest in the world. Products quality assurance were tested in India and Egypt before being sold into the market. Neighbouring countries were relying on the quality tests of NAFDAC for their people. It's not the case now. That being said, about this Nestle: the last time I used their infanct cereal 'cerelac' it was too sweet for me an adult let alone an infant. This is how children are introduced to sugar and sweet at an early stage, making them to be choosey and reject our conventional foods that usually have a saline taste. Pls let same tests be done on Peak 123 milk which is specially deaigned for children ageds 1- 3 it's quite sugary. I hope the product is in your country

[@amafarhit2204]

Good you have seen.

[@harshildhaduk3766]

Supreme court of Bharat should take strict actions against patanjali and Nestle both.

[@astlinj]

first tell the bjp government to form polices. supreme court cant create its own law

[@nareshjadhav6834]

Well done Palki and thanks for highlighting this.

[@gadilaravikumar246]

Thanks for bringing this news

[@pamny5787]

Amazing report! ❤️

[@vigneshmoorthy4141]

well explained palki madam

[@Unknownbass18]

She has slammed the loopholes of Indian Government as well Nestle double standards.

[@arjunramaswami4090]

The problem is not necessarily with Nestle, I am sure there are many other companies that do the same. It has to be a problem with the system and enforcement of rules. Blaming just Nestle may not change the root cause of the problem, sure it can be a good example. But the loopholes would still exist

[@davejohnson6738]

Well done palki , excellent report, I hope Indian government take actions on these companies and spread awareness.

[@duncandes1]

Very useful information 😊

[@celiashort6246]

Always be sceptical of products marked.. for export only

[@Cornerstone-z4d]

No wonder why we have a pediatric obesity pandemic . Our babies are subtly and insidiously getting addicted to sugar. As a physician, this prevalence had always troubled me.

[@karabokhwiane7593]

Continue with your diligent observation, Dr. At this point, individual physicians reports might be the only advocacy we have for the children.

[@vikasrao2338]

True

[@dennismarfo3536]

Yes they are doing so. I can say this with all the authority. Nido +1 for toddlers in West Africa is full of it.. I however don't blame them- Nestlé. I blame the corrupt people at the top we have for leaders for this mess.

[@pulakprakriti]

All MNCs sell cheap rate products in non western countries be it food, cars, anything.

[@jeetusingh3030]

Ms. Palki in India almost every product available in market has some form of adulteration. India's food department does nothing about it because they are highly corrupted. They have fixed income from big consumer companies. Small companies are scrutinized and inspected only to let them go in exchange of money. Company who fail to adhere to this corrupt practices are taken to court on created/ existing issues, only to be released when they pay (eg Maggi, Patanjali). India's energy comes from food we eat. It's high time, the government should make great changes in these departments. If we eat healthy, only then we can work healthy.

[@rishabhhasija]

Reminds me of Tigers movie

[@madhavraigopal5514]

Absolutely, no doubt mighty thieves

[@_dheerajmittal]

The 3 silent sec at the start of the video is so unsettling now, in the age of constant stimulation.

[@eiannmascoll9939]

Facts

[@goat964]

Woooow

[@indian9632]

I never bought a Nestle product in ages

[@1erinjames]

It seems as tho intentional harm is being done. In the USA, there are so many ingredients used that are not allowed in other countries. Profit to cause harm?

[@nishantjha6456]

This is scary 😟

[@arai7859]

😮

[@cricketarena4926]

Make video on gyan vapi mosque

[@SureshKumar-gh8vi]

There is something called ethics. I would say a company should go with the best regulations even though in some countries it’s not there. When it comes to globalisation, I think there should be a global standard ( best one from the world) applicable rather than local regulations until unless local regulation is demanding the opposite.

[@johealingtouch6683]

Goes to show African continent will always be taken for granted , why ? Because of our greedy leaders , Corruption with our quality standards ....where money changes hands under yhe table . Local regulations my foot !!!!!

[@Daily_Wits]

Thanks very much ❤Bangladesh 🇧🇩 Bharat 🇮🇳 must take action together 😢😢😢

[@sabari.p]

what about amruthum powder supplied by government of kerala. Please enquire about sugar content.

[@ranjeetdukhu756]

The government of the day in those countries should put their own rules and regulations

[@Shashi_589]

Despite having high budget of US in food safety, some toxic products are still sold, and childrens happily consume high amount of sugar wherein which the ingredients go unnoticed by their parents most if the time.

[@aryanraj8111]

Don't directly blame west, we here in India lack regulatory standards on foods and alike. EU, UK, US has good, robust regulatory standards. My understanding is that if any business finds loopholes, they use it to make extra bucks. Certainly, it's not east or west for business it's money that matters. Global south please improve regulatory standards. Don't let business use it to make money while playing with our loved ones health and lives.

[@englishnews9587]

yes .... we need strong rules and regulations.

[@utsavroy5511]

First real news incomparable to other tv channel only shout and not talk real topics awareness like this main issue for our child future thanks

[@harshildhaduk3766]

Parents should check ingredients of this Nestle products and than they should buy for their children

[@bakangbdeep]

😢😢😢

[@palak_777]

Hypocrisy is secondary This shouldn't happen at all no matter what the country

[@kaminitayulladil2198]

Sad that such a company like Nestle have double standards.😟😟

[@arsalanmirza3411]

Not just Hypocrisy - it’s also RACISM ‼️

[@Concerned97]

Yes, some of the milks have too much sugar

[@prabhakar0076]

Van2 foreign MNC'S if collegium SC goes after Indian brands

[@jeebangurung7014]

Indian goverment also make new law about this kind of products for better public health.

[@jishasen7328]

😢

[@jr8472]

True,ive seen too many black women overweight here in canada

[@sakthipriyag8440]

Why are countries in the east called Global south?

[@professorpubg1899]

there should be strict action against these giants

[@Peehu8010]

Saarc must try to end poverty unemployment childstunting in the region

[@nikhildaram1830]

In my opinion if is true We should start using Indian based company which gives good baby food or prepare baby food with traditional Indian recipes

[@harmanpabla7315]

The same goes for high fructose corn syrup used in American products as opposed to the very same brands and products sold in Europe, ask why and think a little

[@pumelelabanca1442]

The way she said Africa.😢😢 1:44.

[@emmanuelokine7430]

Do u have problem with that??

[@dtvind]

Countries govt should take care , feedback from customers are ignored

[@mradulavohra]

I can tell you why it the government to stop them by making it law.

[@deepakshinde5044]

Yes right, but it is also the responsibility of the govt of respective countries to enforce regulations, let me explain with an analogy, it is similar to question the ethics of the thief to not rob the house whose doors are open or weak

[@swaynecruz]

Our Government should do something about this. This is not done.

[@auntycovid7507]

They are not fair in their selection of employees. In Asia employers employ family members.

[@sudiprai3267]

So blame goes to Government of the Country..Company follow the rule where they are given..

[@jyothikrishnagudi8378]

Unless the industry is regulated... Its simply bad for business to remove sugar as sugar attracts and no company wants to lose ground to competition. For business only sales and profits matter and thats the plain truth.

[@govindmatondkar7502]

Ramdeo- let's malign Nestle again !!! 😉 😉😉

[@deeppatne]

1:50 Its simple since India has no guidelines or regulations for added sugar, Nestle does it. Let's question our government for not having the guidelines rather than blaming others. Let's take responsibility

[@bhslefty]

While i believe what Nestle is doing is wrong it's not the only company that is doing this. In regards to medicines and other products that were of inferior quality, they were not manufactured in the West. The blame should go to managers and quality control in the factories in the global South. They are probably cutting corners and not taking the manufacturing process seriously. If something does happen they bribe local officials to look away. That culturally would not occur in the West. So yes you can blame large multinationals but some of the issues are at the local level. I know this happens because I worked for a large multinational food company that did business in South America. We had so many issues with corruption, bribery with local officials, and local management not following food safety guidelines that they ended up closing down the plant and just exporting the goods from America.

[@Indianmetalstacker]

The world has simply made peace with the fact that different parts of the world are treated differently by companies. This shouldn’t be this okay!!!

[@naveenkotha67]

West ki makkari it’s just a sample.

[@caldermendonca6291]

There is no fear for MNC's in India and other south countries. Indian government must take strict action

[@komphatak3395]

No sir, I will avoid everything which comes in a good looking packet, it's probably processed food

[@ramanujrai8662]

real culprits are in FSSAI