A Swiss watchdog group has accused food giant Nestlé of using double standards by selling baby cereals in Africa with much higher levels of added sugar than the versions sold in richer countries. Nestlé strongly denies this.
The NGO, Public Eye, said it worked with civil society groups across Africa to collect nearly 100 samples of Nestlé’s Cerelac infant cereal. After laboratory tests, it claimed that over 90% of the products sold in African markets contained high amounts of added sugar, unlike those sold in Europe.
According to Public Eye, an average serving of the African-market Cerelac samples contained around six grams of added sugar—which is about twice the amount found in samples from India, another major Cerelac market.
Reuters could not independently verify these findings.
Nestlé rejected the allegations, calling them “misleading and unfounded”. The company said it fully complies with Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards. A spokesperson explained that the report wrongly counted natural sugars—those coming from ingredients like fruits, cereals and milk—as if they were refined added sugars.
“If we exclude naturally occurring sugars, our Cerelac cereals do not contain the levels of added refined sugars mentioned,” the company said.
This is not the first time Public Eye has raised concerns. In April 2024, the NGO reported that Nestlé added sugar to baby food products sold in lower-income countries, including India, while keeping European versions sugar-free. That complaint triggered an investigation by India’s food regulator. The new report shifts the focus to Africa.
On November 17, the International Babyfood Action Network (IBFAN) and 19 civil society groups across 13 African countries, from Morocco to Nigeria to South Africa, sent an open letter to Nestlé’s CEO. They urged the company to stop what they described as a “double standard” in its baby food formulations.
Nestlé pushed back firmly:
“We do not have double standards. Our nutrition approach is the same everywhere. We treat all children equally.”
The company also said it is expanding its no-added-sugar Cerelac products, which it claims are already available in 97% of its global markets. It aims to reach 100% by the end of 2025.
