Nestle accused of violating WHO guidelines by adding sugar to cerelac baby products for Africa

Nestle accused of violating WHO guidelines by adding sugar to cerelac baby products for Africa

Nestlé is facing extreme international scrutiny after a Swiss watchdog accused the enterprise of including sugar to its Cerelac infant cereals offered across Africa, even though the same merchandise in Europe incorporate no added sweeteners.

The investigation, posted via Public Eye on 18 November 2025, alleges Nestlé is violating global fitness enterprise tips by means of advertising sugar-encumbered cereals to kiddies below the age of 2, a right away breach of WHO policy that strictly warns in opposition to added sugars for kiddies to save you obesity, dental issues, and early sugar dependency. while Cerelac offered in Switzerland, Germany, and the UK carries no delivered sugar for toddlers from six months, Public Eye says African versions comprise vast quantities.

The findings have provoked outrage amongst public health groups throughout the continent. A coalition of nineteen Africa based civil society companies wrote to Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil, accusing the multinational of working with “double requirements” and worrying a direct recall of sugary Cerelac from African markets. Their letter said, “If brought sugar isn’t appropriate for Swiss and eu babies, it isn’t always suitable for kiddies in Africa and beyond. All babies have an same right to healthy nutrition, irrespective of their nationality or pores and skin colour.”

Nestlé has strongly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson informed Al Jazeera the file contained “misleading and unfounded allegations,” insisting, “We do no longer have double standards, our method to nutrients is regular throughout all nations. Nestlé is committed to the health of kiddies in all places inside the world, and we deal with all kiddies similarly, no matter in which they’re.” in step with the organisation, it offers both sugar loose and sweetened variants international and is operating toward making sure all Cerelac lines haven’t any brought sugar by way of the give up of 2025.

however laboratory assessments commissioned by Public Eye appear to undertaking that defence. almost one hundred Cerelac merchandise accrued from twenty African countries reportedly contained introduced sugar, averaging nearly six grams in keeping with serving. One Kenyan product meant for infants as younger as six months contained 7.5 grams of sugar, almost two full cubes.

The revelations land at a crucial second for Africa, wherein youth weight problems is growing sharply even as undernutrition persists. WHO figures show the variety of overweight children under five has nearly doubled when you consider that 1990, leaving countries suffering with a dual burden of malnutrition and excess weight. Public health advocates argue that introducing children to sugar so early facilitates fuel this crisis.

Nestlé maintains that undernutrition stays a severe situation in Africa and insists it does not compromise on the protection or nice of its ingredients. however for the civil society coalition, the problem is clear. Their letter bluntly concluded, “let us be clear: by way of including sugar to little one cereals, Nestlé is intentionally setting the fitness of African babies at chance for profit. This have to cease now.”