Alarm bells ring as the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), India’s consumer protection regulator, has called upon the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) to delve into claims touching upon a grave concern. Allegations raised by a Swiss NGO, Public Eye, alongside the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), suggest the multinational conglomerate Nestle may be marketing baby products with disproportionately high sugar content in less economically developed regions, including India.
“We have written to the FSSAI to take cognizance of the report on Nestle’s baby product,” states Nidhi Khare, Consumer Affairs Secretary and the CCPA chief, in a conversation with PTI. The stakes are high as these implications strike right at the heart of children’s health—an area where no risks can be overlooked.
Echoing the sentiments of the CCPA, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has not been passive. Taking strict cognizance of the report, the NCPCR has issued a notice to the FSSAI to intensify the scrutiny over these claims.
The report annexed by the Swiss NGO and IBFAN unearths a concerning discrepancy in the sugar levels present in baby products. The findings highlight that Nestle has listed different sugar contents for products sold in the affluent avenues of Europe when compared to those distributed within South Asia, Africa, and Latin American countries. India, among other developing nations, seemingly stands on the unfavorable side of this disparity.
In the face of these allegations, Nestle India released a statement on Thursday outlining its stance. Emphasizing compliance as a “never compromise” domain, Nestle India conveyed it has proactively reduced added sugar in its baby food products in the country by up to 30 percent across varying product variants over a span of five years.
“Reduction of added sugars is a priority for Nestle India. Over the past 5 years, we have already reduced added sugars up to 30 percent, depending on the variant,” explained a Nestle India spokesperson. The spokesperson further assured that its products manufactured locally strictly comply with the CODEX standards as well as with India’s local specifications, which cover an extensive array of nutrients, including added sugars.
However, the report calls attention to a specific wheat-based product—Cerelac for six-month-old infants—available in the UK and Germany without any added sugars. This contrasts with a stark figure associated with 15 Cerelac products analyzed in India, where each serving purportedly contains an average of 2.7 grams of added sugar. While the sugar content appears to be clearly disclosed on Indian packaging, chronicling such information is vital from an awareness and consumer choice perspective.
Furthermore, international comparisons reveal a bleak picture. Thailand’s highest sugar content for the product touched 6 grams, and across eight samples from the Philippines, five recorded a sugar content of 7.3 grams—worryingly, this information was reportedly nowhere to be found on the packaging.
The magnifying glass is now firmly on FSSAI’s upcoming actions, as the nation awaits a clear resolution on the matter. Transparency, accountability, and the health of the nation’s young ones will serve as the guiding lights of this investigation—the hopes of countless consumers and vigilant advocates for children’s health rest on the FSSAI’s decisive and expeditious response. With the CCPA’s urging, it’s crucial that the FSSAI navigates through these allegations with the rigor and fairness that the gravity of such claims demands.
