An investigation by Public Eye, a non-profit human rights organization based in Switzerland, detailed extensive sugar content in Cerelac, a brand of instant cereal made by Nestlé and marketed for babies, sold across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The report also revealed significant disparities when compared with Cerelac variants available across European countries.
Note that Public Eye specifically gathered close to 100 samples of Cerelac products sold in 20 countries in Africa. It also commissioned Inovalys Laboratories in France for ingredient analysis. Results indicated average added sugar content near 6 rams per serving, with peak values of 7.5 rams in Kenyan products marketed for infants aged 6 months.
Comparative evaluation showed European Cerelac variants contained 0 grams added sugar. This reinforces claims of double standards raised by 19 African civil society organizations. These groups issued a formal letter on 17 November 2025 demanding the withdrawal of high sugar formulations distributed in underserved regions across multiple continents.
Field reporting from the Eastern Cape in South Africa described frequent use of formula and cereal among infants younger than 6 months. This is often due to limited breastfeeding support and the strong influence of long-standing marketing practices that shape community perceptions regarding premium nutritional value within branded baby products.
Medical personnel at Madwaleni Hospital, including neonatal lead Andrew Miller, documented recurrent admissions linked to unsafe formula preparation, insufficient sterilization, and water source contamination. These compounded immediate malnutrition risks that intersect with rising national obesity burdens documented by UNICEF and WHO analyses.
Historical context referenced earlier formula controversies of the 1970s that prompted the WHO adoption of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes in 1981. South Africa enacted national regulations in 2012, yet advocates stated that digital promotion continued to influence caregiver decisions in low-resource environments.
Public Eye interviews with dietitian Maria van der Merwe and the International Baby Food Action Network representatives underscored concerns about early sugar exposure, long-term metabolic effects, and messaging that framed infant cereals as solutions for hunger, despite inconsistent formulation standards across regions under the sampling programs.
Official communications from Nestlé have denied any double standard and affirmed compliance with local regulatory frameworks. It noted that formulations without added sugar were available in 97 percent of markets as of early 2025. Public Eye field teams, however, reported limited availability of such versions in outlets across surveyed communities.
The company explains that the added sugar level in their infant cereal products is well below the levels set by the Codex Alimentarius. Note that the codex is a food standards commission founded by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. It has reiterated that it applies a consistent approach to nutrition for all babies everywhere.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Dumbili, E. W., Bwalya, J., and Osborne, A. 2025. “Commercial Determinants of Infant and Child Health: A Focus on Nestlé’s Baby Food Products Marketed in Africa.” Ethics, Medicine and Public Health. 33: 101186. DOI: 1016/j.jemep.2025.101186
- Gaberell, L. 18 November 2025. “Sugar in Baby Food: The Nestlé Birds Were Set In Our Minds.” Public Eye. Available online
- Nestlé. n.d. “Sugar in Our Early Childhood Foods.” Ask Nestlé. Nestlé. Available online