Geneva: Nestlé continues to add sugar to most baby cereals sold across Africa, according to a new investigation that accuses the company of risking the health of infants for profit. Researchers said the findings reveal ‘double standards,’ as similar products in wealthier countries contain little or no added sugar.
The Swiss-based group Public Eye, which collaborated with activists in more than 20 African countries, purchased 94 Cerelac samples intended for babies aged six months and older. Laboratory analysis found added sugar in over 90 percent of products, averaging six grams, or about one-and-a-half teaspoons, per serving.
Sugar levels ranged from five grams per serving in Egypt, Madagascar, South Africa, Malawi, and Nigeria to 7.5 grams in products sold in Kenya. Most sugar-free variants were imports originally meant for Europe, with only two recently introduced in South Africa.
Public health experts warn that foods for children under three should contain no added sugar, as advised by World Health Organization guidelines, to prevent the early formation of a preference for sweet foods and reduce the risk of obesity and diet-related diseases.
Nestlé defended its products, saying sugar is necessary to make cereals palatable and help combat malnutrition. The company highlighted that its recipes comply with national regulations and that it is gradually rolling out sugar-free Cerelac variants in African countries. Nestlé representatives emphasized that fortified cereals provide essential nutrients and that taste is critical to ensure infants transition successfully to solid foods.
Campaigners, however, called the company’s response insufficient, urging it to remove all added sugar from baby foods. They warned that continued sugar addition could fuel a preventable public health crisis across the continent, as diet-related illnesses rise alongside persistent malnutrition.
