Nestle Spin

Nestling into the British Government Source: The Independent (UK), May 11, 2008
As CMD has reported previously, the infant formula industry in the U.S. is committed to making sure that women aren't, as they put it, made to feel guilty about not breast feeding. But it seems that formula producers are also looking to make inroads in Europe, where rates of breast feeding are far higher than in the U.S.

The Independent "has uncovered strong ties between Nestle, the world's largest baby milk manufacturer, and the Department of Health. Rosie Cooper, a parliamentary private secretary to the Health minister Ben Bradshaw, is undergoing a year-long Industry and Parliament Trust fellowship with Nestle, and in February went for a week to South Africa as a guest of the group to oversee its corporate social responsibility activities."

Three other Labour Party members of Parliament accompanied her at Nestle's expense. Critics are alarmed that the corporation has made such inroads into the government. A spokesperson for Baby Milk Action, which together with UNICEF, Save the Children and the National Childhood Trust, has organized a boycott of Nestle, said "Time and again we see Nestle trying to ingratiate itself with health workers and policymakers through gifts, free trips, sponsorship and so-called partnerships. Surely the Government should not look to companies to fund and organise trips such as this."

Formula for Disaster

Pushing baby milk! Now you can see for yourself what is happening in the Philippines. This is a new film from UNICEF Philippines. You can watch the clips UNICEF has posted
today on Youtube. This fresh confirmation of malpractice further substantiates the documentary evidence gathered by Baby Milk Action and partners in the International Baby
Food Action Network. Globally, IBFAN monitoring finds Nestlé to be the worst of the baby food companies, which is why it is targeted with boycott action. There will be a demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ on Saturday 19 May 11:00-12:00 and at other
sites, shopping centres and Body Shop outlets around the country.


People are always wanting to know whether Nestlé and other baby food companies are still misbehaving in the way they push their products. What is going on right now? An article in The Guardian on Tuesday was the journalist's eye witness account from Bangladesh.
Read Boycott Nestle