Nestle Accused Of Violating WHO Guidelines By Adding Sugar To Cerelac Baby Products For Africa

Nestle Accused Of Adding Sugar To Cerelac Products in Africa But Baby Cereals In Europe Are Sugar-Free

Global food titan Nestlé stands accused of blatantly violating World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines by adding sugar to its Cerelac baby cereals marketed across Africa. A shocking investigation by Swiss NGO Public Eye, published on 18 November 2025, alleges the company is endangering infant health with products that would not meet the standards applied in its European markets.

The report claims this practice directly contravenes core WHO policy designed to protect children. The health body’s global guidelines, reinforced in 2022, state that children under the age of two should consume no added sugars or sweeteners whatsoever. This advice aims to prevent childhood obesity, dental issues, and the development of an unhealthy lifelong preference for sweet tastes. While Nestle sells sugar-free Cerelac for babies from six months in Switzerland, Germany, and the UK, its products on African shelves were found to contain significant added sweeteners.

Outrage Over “Double Standards” In Infant Nutrition

The revelations have ignited fury among African public health advocates. On 17 November, a coalition of 19 Africa-based civil society organisations sent a scorching open letter to Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil. They condemned the disparity as unacceptable “double standards” and demanded an immediate recall of sugary baby cereals from the continent.

The groups stated unequivocally: “If added sugar is not suitable for Swiss and European children, it is not suitable for children in Africa and beyond. All babies have an equal right to healthy nutrition – regardless of their nationality or skin color.”

Nestle’s Forceful Denial Versus Laboratory Evidence

Nestle has issued a robust denial. A company spokesperson challenged the report’s validity, telling Al Jazeera it contained “misleading and unfounded allegations.”

The spokesperson asserted: “We do not have double standards, our approach to nutrition is consistent across all countries. Nestle is committed to the wellbeing of children everywhere in the world, and we treat all children equally, irrespective of where they are.”

The corporation stated it sells both sugar-free and with-sugar variants globally and is accelerating the rollout of no-added-sugar options, aiming for 100% coverage by the end of 2025.

However, laboratory analyses commissioned by Public Eye present compelling counter-evidence. The NGO tested nearly 100 Cerelac products from 20 African nations and found added sugar in 90% of them. The average serving contained almost six grams of added sugar—about one-and-a-half sugar cubes. Most alarmingly, a product for six-month-olds in Kenya contained 7.5 grams per serving, practically two sugar cubes.

A Ticking Health Crisis On The Continent

This controversy strikes at the heart of a growing public health emergency in Africa. WHO data indicates the number of overweight children under five has nearly doubled since 1990. Many nations now grapple with a “double burden” of malnutrition and rising obesity, a crisis health experts say is worsened by early sugar intake.

In its defence, Nestle highlighted that undernutrition remains a severe issue in Africa. The company told Al Jazeera it does not compromise on safety or nutritional quality.

Yet, for the civil society coalition, the evidence points to a simple, profit-driven motive.

Their letter leaves no room for ambiguity: “Let us be clear: By adding sugar to infant cereals, Nestle is deliberately putting the health of African babies at risk for profit. This must end – now.”