Nestlé has come under renewed criticism after an investigation found that the company continues to add sugar to most baby cereals sold across Africa, despite rising concerns about childhood obesity and diet-related illnesses on the continent. Campaigners accused the multinational of “putting the health of African babies at risk for profit” and of operating “double standards” compared with its practices in wealthier markets.
The findings were published by Public Eye, a Swiss organisation that describes itself as a global justice group. Working with activists in more than 20 African countries, researchers purchased 94 samples of Cerelac products marketed for infants aged six months and above. Laboratory analysis revealed that more than 90 per cent contained added sugar, averaging 6g, around one-and-a-half teaspoons, per serving.
Products without added sugar were largely imports originally intended for European markets, with the exception of two variants recently introduced in South Africa. The investigation found sugar levels ranging from 5g per serving in products sold in Egypt, Madagascar, South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria, to 7.5g in one product available in Kenya.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that foods for children under three should contain “no added sugars or sweetening agents”, warning that early exposure can create long-term preferences for sweetened foods. Campaigners argue that Nestlé’s practices risk fuelling an epidemic of diet-related non-communicable diseases across Africa, where obesity rates are rising alongside persistent malnutrition.
Public Eye previously reported in April 2024 that Nestlé was adding sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products in Asia, Africa and Latin America, while equivalent products in Europe and North America contained no added sugar.
Following that report, Nestlé said it aimed to introduce sugar-free versions of Cerelac in all markets. Campaigners, however, dismissed the pledge as “too little, too late”.
In a letter to Nestlé’s chief executive, Philipp Navratil, 12 African civil society and consumer organisations wrote: “You know how to do things differently. But you made a deliberate decision to feed children in Africa with less healthy options.”
Nestlé rejected the latest findings, describing the report as “misleading”. Peggy Diby, global head of corporate affairs for Nestlé Nutrition, said: “These are unfounded allegations and insinuate actions that are contrary to all our values. We disagree with the Public Eye report. It is misleading. We do not have double standards when it comes to early childhood nutrition.”
Diby argued that cereals must be palatable to infants in order to combat malnutrition, particularly iron deficiency, which remains a major health challenge in Africa. She said the sugar levels identified by Public Eye may have included naturally occurring sugars from milk, cereals and fruits, and insisted that Nestlé’s products were “well below” international food safety and quality standards set by the WHO and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization under the Codex Alimentarius.
Nestlé has introduced 14 sugar-free Cerelac variants in India over the past year and says it is accelerating the rollout of similar products in African countries. The company maintains that fortified cereals play a vital role in providing essential micronutrients.
Dr Sara Colombo Mottaz, global head of medical, regulatory and scientific affairs at Nestlé Nutrition, said the firm had internal “guardrails” to keep added sugars within limits. She explained that babies are accustomed to sweet tastes from the womb and through breastfeeding, and that offering flavours they accept is important during the transition to solid foods. “Remember that children at the age of six months can refuse to eat, and if they refuse to eat, they will not be able to grow properly,” she said.
Campaigners remain unconvinced, accusing Nestlé of contributing to a “preventable public health catastrophe”. They argue that the company’s insistence on adding sugar to infant cereals undermines efforts to promote healthier diets and risks entrenching long-term health problems across the continent.
