July 1997

• Nestlé free supplies in Thailand
• Nestlé advertisement for Nan 2 in Singapore
• Inappropriate language in Malawi from Nestlé and Wyeth
• Milupa's bear-faced cheek in the UK

Nestlé free supplies in Thailand

Company	Item	Date	Violation Reference
Nestlé	Free supplies of infant formula at health facilities in Thailand	July 1997	comp/97/04

In October 1996 a randomised survey of health facilities in Bangkok Thailand (conducted by the Interagency Group on Breastfeeding Monitoring (IGBM) a group of 27 leading academic, church and development organisations) found Nestlé and other companies to be providing free or low-cost supplies of breastmilk substitutes.

Around 20,000 mothers could potentially change their infant feeding decisions every year because of Nestlé's use of this promotional technique (over 100,000 if the distribution pattern is repeated in rural areas).

In March 1997 Nestlé dismissed IGBM's findings as insignificant and claimed that free samples given to hospitals were of new formulations or for newly qualified medical personnel for "professional evaluations."

In July 1997 Nestlé's story was that the free supplies were part of a Government programme for feeding the infants of HIV+ mothers. Yet while the Thai Government registers about 2% of mothers as HIV+ over 25% reported receiving free samples (15% of these were Nestlé products). A hospital in Thailand was visited and it was found that Nestlé was part of an arrangement to provide 900 tins of formula every month for general use and not as part of a Government programme. In the past Nestlé has used the pretence of providing formula for special cases, such as premature infants or orphans, to flood hospitals with free supplies.

Violation	Complain to
World Health Assembly Resolution WHA47.5 calls for action "to ensure that there are no donations of free or subsidized supplies of breast-milk substitutes and other products... in any part of the health care system"	Mr. Peter Brabeck, CEO Nestlé, 55, av. Nestlé, 1800 Vevey, Switzerland.

In the IGBM random survey of health facilities in Bangkok free supplies of Nestlé products were reported in 10% of health facilities despite a 1992 agreement to end the practice. There are over 200,000 births in urban areas in Thailand each year. In the country as a whole there are over 1,100,000. Source: State of the World's Children 1997 UNICEF.

Nestlé advertisement for Nan 2 in Singapore

Company	Item	Date	Violation Reference
Nestlé	Advertisement for Nan 2 follow-on formula in the Singapore Pediatrics Journal	December 1996	comp/97/01

WHO recommends that breastfeeding continues into the second year of life. Nestlé attempts to undermine this message with the above advertisement which appeared in the Singapore Pediatrics Journal (Dec' 1996): Recommended feeding times: up to 6 months ...And after:....Nan 2.

Violation	Complain to
International Code 7.2 "information should not imply or create a belief that bottle-feeding is equivalent or superior to breast-feeding."	Mr. Peter Brabeck, CEO Nestlé, 55, av. Nestlé, 1800 Vevey, Switzerland.

Inappropriate language in Malawi from Nestlé

Company	Item	Date	Violation Reference
Nestlé	Labels of products in Malawi, Africa are not in the national language	June 1997	comp/97/03

• 22nd June 1993 Baby Milk Action supporter asks Nestlé to label baby foods in Malawi in Chichewa, the national language.
• 15th September 1993 Nestlé replies: Due to cost restrainsts of small runs it has not been viable to change languages for specific export markets
• The 1994 IBFAN report Breaking the Rules states that Nestlé fails to label products in Malawi in the appropriate language. Nestlé says this shows, "lack of logic"
• 6th March 1997 Nestlé e-mail to Baby Milk Action: "If you ever bothered to look at a Nestlé infant formula pack, you would see the [label] not only in a language that mothers are likely to understand, but also in the language that the government of the particular country demands."
• 27th March 1997 Malawi Ministry of Health writes to Baby Milk Action: "The Ministry discussed the need to include Chichewa..with Nestlé...in mid 1994...not received a reply...nothing has happened." Baby Milk Action takes the issue up with Nestlé once again.
• 5th June 1997 Nestlé AGM. Chief Executive, Mr. Peter Brabeck is questioned from the floor. He commits Nestlé to abiding by the Government's requirements.
• 23rd June 1997 Nestlé offers to include under-the-lid labels in Chichewa, which will not alert people of the risks associated with artificial infant feeding unless they purchase the product.

In Switzerland, its home country, Nestlé labels its products in three languages.

27th July 1997 (News added after this was first posted). Nestlé writes to Baby Milk Action saying the matter has been "reactivated" and new labels are being prepared. Request that the labels include all required text in Chichewa and no text which idealises artificial infant feeding or undermines breastfeeding.

Violation	Complain to
International Code 9.2 requires that labels are "in an appropriate language."	Mr. Peter Brabeck, CEO Nestlé, 55, av. Nestlé, 1800 Vevey, Switzerland.

Inappropriate language in Malawi from Wyeth

Company	Item	Date	Violation Reference
Wyeth	Labels of products in Malawi, Africa are not in the national language	June 1997	comp/97/02

Wyeth also fails to label its products in Malawi in the national language, Chichewa. After being contacted by Baby Milk Action Wyeth has offered to include under-the-lid leaflets. This is insufficient as a person who can only read Chichewa will have to purchase the product to be able to understand the "Important Notice" and other messages.

Violation	Complain to
International Code 9.2 requires that labels are "in an appropriate language."	Mr. John R. Stafford, CEO, Wyeth (American Home Products), PO Box 8616, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101, USA.

Milupa's bear-faced cheek in the UK

Company	Item	Date	Violation Reference
Milupa	Series of advertisements in magazines for health workers	July 1997	comp/97/05

The above advertisement has appeared in a number of UK health worker magazines such as Health Visitor. The International Code applies to all countries and requires that information for health workers is scientific and factual and does not idealise the use of breastmilk substitutes. . In the UK an artificially fed infant is up to 10 times more likely to be hospitalised with gastro-enteritis and is more at risk from respiratory and ear infections, diabetes and allergies.

Violation	Complain to
International Code 7.2: "Information...should be restricted to scientific and factual matters." International Code 4.2: "materials should not use any pictures or text which may idealize the use of breast-milk substitutes."	Mr. J.C.T van der Wielen, President, Nutricia (Milupa), Postbus 1, 2700 MA Zoetermeer, Netherlands.

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