- Cereals
- Baby food
Cerelac
Nestlé Cerelac is a baby food brand known for its instant cereal products. These cereals are marketed as providing essential nutrients for infants and toddlers and as a convenient option for parents. However, Nestlé Cerelac has faced significant controversies in recent years, particularly regarding its sugar content and marketing practices.
High Sugar Content
In 2024, the Swiss investigative organization Public Eye published a report criticizing and exposing Nestlé for the high sugar content in its Cerelac products, particularly in countries with less stringent regulations. Investigations revealed that Cerelac sold in developing countries often contains nearly 3 grams of added sugar per serving, whereas similar products in Europe are often sugar-free. This discrepancy raises concerns about the company’s marketing behavior, and the potential health risks posed to children in low- and middle-income countries, where these products are heavily promoted.
Further analysis suggests that Nestlé's approach is tailored to exploit weaker regulatory environments, leading to significant variations in product composition based on regional markets. In regions where health regulations are stricter, Cerelac and other baby foods tend to be healthier, while in developing nations, the products are formulated with higher levels of sugar. This raises ethical questions about Nestlé's commitment to children's health globally, as the long-term impacts of such sugar levels could contribute to childhood obesity and other related diseases. Baby killer scandals.
Nestlé’s response has been to highlight efforts to reduce sugar content by up to 30% in some of its products. However, critics argue that these changes are insufficient and that the company continues to prioritize profits over the well-being of its youngest consumers, particularly in less regulated markets
Marketing Practices: Nestlé has also faced criticism for its aggressive marketing of baby formula products, including Cerelac. Some argue that these marketing campaigns can discourage breastfeeding, which is widely recognized as the best source of nutrition for infants