[net.misc] Nestles Boycott

tead (03/21/83)

The story I heard from a Nestle boycotter was that the company was
offering a month's free trial of the baby food, free.  Of course
many mothers accepted and during the month of little use, their
breasts began to dry up.  This effectively forced them to continue
using the artificial food now at regular prices, which was an
economic hardship.

Has anyone else been told this story, or have evidence either way?

							STAN

mark (03/22/83)

As I heard it (this is nth-hand), there were two problems.

(1) The formula was distributed in powdered form, to be mixed with
    water.  But the local water was often unsafe, resulting in lots
    of sick and dead babies.

(2) The instructions said how much water to add, but since the stuff
    was expensive, the mothers often diluted it too much, and not
    enough nourishment reached the babies.  Same result.

This is very unclear in my memory, so I might either have the problems
wrong or be talking about another situation entirely.  Hopefully someone
else knows for sure.

minow (03/23/83)

There were a number of issues involved in the Nestle's boycott:
1.  Formula samples were given to new mothers in hospitals by
    people dressed in nurses uniforms.  After using the free
    sample for a few weeks, mothers could no longer nurse their
    infants:  they must continue to use formula.  Formula was
    marketed as the modern way to nurse and the mothers could
    easily get the idea that their children would grow up
    tall and strong just like the Europeans and Americans.

2.  The formula was expensive and, for poor people, it was
    often the case that it would be over-diluted, consequently
    undernourshing the infant.

3.  Mothers milk transmits a range of hormones, enzimes, and
    antibodies which are lacking in powdered formula.  Thus,
    the infant may have to acquire immunity to the endemic
    diseases "the hard way".

Martin Minow
decvax!minow

knight (03/23/83)

To add another two cents on this issue:

There were/are other (American) companies that engaged in the same
objectionable aggressive promotion of infant formula.  (Specific
names escape me--it's been awhile since I was active.) These other
companies have stopped the practice due to pressure from concerned
stockholders.  Nestle's has been singled out for a boycott because
they are a foreign-owned company with stock unavailable for public
purchase.  Hence, boycott is the only way to have any effect on
Nestle's policy.

					Steve Knight
					ihnp4!stolaf!knight

(Apologies if this is inaccurate; this is what I remember from
INFACT literature several years back.)