Nestlé Milk Boycott
Statement of the
Situation
Nestlé milk was boycotted worldwide due to deceiving marketing practices used in many African countries.
Background of the
Situation
Nestlé milk formula is a well-known product used by many
mothers as a supplement, or substitute, for their breast milk. Although the
World Health Organization has stated breast milk as the healthiest alternative
for newborns up to infants six months of age, Nestlé has challenged this idea
through their assertive marketing techniques. Despite the World Health
Organizations’ International Code on Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes,
which states milk substitutes should not be advertised nor distributed as
samples; Nestlé did just that, quite successfully in
Nestlé representatives distributed formula samples at hospitals to new mothers. Once the mothers came home with their samples, of course the formula was fed to the babies. Since the samples were just that, samples, there was not enough formula available to the mothers, so they tried to stretch out the formula by using smaller amounts of it and using larger portions of water. The instructions most likely were unclear to mothers to begin with, since the labels were not in their native language, so already there is a dilemma. There are also several other problems associated with this action. First, the water used is unsterilized. Since most of the mothers were poor, they had no other means of purchasing more formula of sanitary water to mix it with. This introduced water borne diseases to their newborns, who do not have a system strong enough to withstand illness since they were not receiving the antibodies from their mothers necessary for their growth. Second, using small amounts of the formula decreased the nutrients that it did deliver to the child, increasing the likelihood for malnutrition, even death. Third, by becoming dependent on the powdered formula, the mother’s milk dries up, so by the time they completely run out of the formula and want to begin breast feeding, they have very little, if any, milk left for their baby.
Issues to be Resolved
Procedures Employed
Nestlé representatives, dressed in white, distributed samples of powdered milk to mothers just after they gave birth, making the mothers to believe they were nurses. With this thought in mind, the women thought that the formula is what they should be feeding their babies, not breast milk. Nestlé employees knew that women would become dependent on the formula since the less they breast feed, the less milk is produced, therefore drying out quickly if they constantly feed their babies powdered milk. Some of the other marketing practices engaged were advertising on billboards and magazines of babies feeding on bottled formula, giving the impression that new mothers should also do the same for their babies.
Outcomes
A group called INFACT began to boycott Nestlé, demanding pressure on all baby formula markets to develop new marketing strategies. A seven year boycott of Nestlé products soon followed, beginning in 1977 and ending in 1984. During this period, the World Health Organization developed what is now known as the Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
Summary of the Case
Nestlé, along with other baby formula companies, agreed on adhering to the World Health Organization’s Code of Marketing for their formulas. Some of the guidelines required labels on their products to be in the local language; also a message stating that breast-milk is better be on the container, and discontinuing the distribution of free samples in hospitals.
Principles of
Practice Demonstrated
Identify the
Competencies Demonstrated
Ethics, legality