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The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a directive to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to investigate recent claims concerning Nestle’s purported addition of sugar to baby products marketed in the country.
The consumer watchdog’s action follows a report unveiling Nestle’s alleged practice of incorporating sugar into infant milk formulations sold not only in India but also across various Asian and African nations.
“We have written to the FSSAI to take cognizance of the report on Nestle’s baby product,” stated Nidhi Khare, Secretary of Consumer Affairs and Chief of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), in an announcement to news agency PTI.
Concurrently, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has initiated its scrutiny, issuing a notice to the FSSAI in response to the report’s findings.
Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organization, conducted the study, which revealed that Nestle included sugar, in the form of sucrose or honey, in samples of Nido, a follow-up milk formula for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years.
The examination involved samples of Nestle’s baby-food products sold across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which were sent to a Belgian laboratory for analysis.
The report underscored that in India, where sales of Cerelac baby cereals exceeded $250 million in 2022, all variants of Cerelac contained added sugar, averaging nearly 3 grams per serving.
Responding to these allegations, Nestlé India informed Moneycontrol that it has substantially reduced its added sugar content by nearly 30 percent in its infant cereals portfolio over the past five years.
A company spokesperson addressing queries from Moneycontrol emphasized, “We regularly evaluate our portfolio and consistently innovate and reformulate our products to further diminish the level of added sugars while maintaining quality, safety, and flavor.”
Presently, Nestlé’s products in India display 7 grams of sugar per 100 grams, as indicated by the nutritional label, reflecting the company’s commitment to transparency and consumer well-being.
