Lichfield District Council states NestlŽ will not be a sponsor of its theatre development 21st February 2001 At a meeting with Baby Milk Action last week Lichfield District Council denied newspaper reports that it is considering sponsorship from NestlŽ for its multi-million pound theatre development (as reported in Express and Star, 2nd January and elsewhere), throwing the nature of the deal into confusion. Baby Milk Action is arranging a public meeting in Lichfield to bring the issues out into the open. NestlŽ, the Swiss food giant with 8.5 thousand brands, largely of confectionary and convenience foods, is the target of an international boycott because of its aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes. According to UNICEF, reversing the decline in breastfeeding could save the lives of 1.5 million infants around the world every year. Baby Milk Action, a member of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), made a presentation to a small Council working group in Lichfield on Wednesday, 14th February. Patti Rundall OBE, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action said: "I was pleased to be invited to attend a meeting with the Council working group and understand the difficult dilemma the Councillors are facing. Sponsorship deals with manufacturers such as NestlŽ have far-reaching implications and can have a negative impact on health, not only in the developing world but also for the people of Lichfield themselves. ÒWhile I respect the fact that the meeting was private, I was specifically asked to inform the public that NestlŽ was not being considered as a 'sponsor' and there would be no exclusive contracts on vending machines. The council is, however, still talking to Nestle about terms for supply, but the nature of a deal, should one go ahead, is still not clear, which is why we are pressing ahead with the public meeting. Obviously if the Council decided to support the boycott we would be delighted. "We are pleased to learn that the District Council is concerned about promoting healthy eating and has a Heartbeat Award scheme and we hope this will also influence its decision. Contracts with companies such as NestlŽ, especially exclusive contracts, can make it very difficult to offer healthy eating choices." Local people in Lichfield have been calling for a public meeting and an action group has been formed (a picture of local campaigners outside the Civic Hall is available from Baby Milk Action). Anyone interested in being added to the mailing list can contact Baby Milk Action. A similar group was formed in Bristol following NestlŽÕs sponsorship of the @Bristol harbourside development and has given the campaign a high profile in the local media and gained the support of local MPs. The NestlŽ boycott is the best supported consumer boycott in the UK (Ethical Consumer magazine). In January Cameroon Link was accepted as a member of the International NestlŽ Boycott Committee, having launched the boycott after finding NestlŽ promoting infant formula at health facilities. Cameroon brings the total number of boycott countries to 20. For further information and pictures contact: Mike Brady, Campaigns Coordinator, Baby Milk Action, 23 St. Andrew's Street, Cambridge, CB2 3AX, UK. Tel: 01223 464420 Notes for editors For further details and for pictures see the ÒcodewatchÓ and ÒresourcesÓ sections. For information on the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) visit www.ibfan.org The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 as a "minimum requirement" to be implemented by Member States "in its entirety." Subsequent Resolutions have addressed questions of interpretation and changes in marketing practices and scientific knowledge. Where water is unsafe an artificially-fed child is up to 25 times more likely to die as a result of diarrhoea than a breastfed child. The cost of formula can lead to parents overdiluting formula, leading to malnutrition. NestlŽ is targeted because monitoring finds it to be responsible for more violations of the International Code and Resolutions than any other company and because it takes the lead in attempting to undermine government implementation of these measures. NCH (formerly National ChildrenÕs Homes) is one of the charities to refuse NestlŽ money. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council turned down £300,000 after NestlŽ refused to answer questions on its baby food marketing activities in September 2000. On 22nd November 2000 the European Parliament Development and Cooperation Committee held a Public Hearing into the baby food industry. IBFAN and UNICEF made presentations. MEPs were shocked and outraged when NestlŽ refused its invitation to make a presentation on the monitoring process it claims to have put in place to ensure compliance with the marketing requirements. For further information contact Richard Howitt MEP, who arranged the Hearing, on + 32 2 284 5477. Adidas was investigated at the same Hearing and also refused to attend. On the Mark Thomas Product on Channel 4 Television (25th January), David Husselbee, Global Director of Social and Environmental Affairs, Adidas, said: ÒWith hindsight we accept that we should have been at the meeting in NovemberÓ. So far NestlŽ has made no such admission.