IBFAN called on EXPO 2015 to stop Nestlé promotion

IBFAN has written to  Ambassador Nicolas Bideau,  Director of  Présence Suisse, the organisation  responsible for the image of Switzeland abroad, about the upcoming  Swiss Pavillion at the EXPO 2015 exhibition in Milan.   IBFAN points out the incongruity of the decision to allow Nestlé – the world’s largest baby food promoter with a notorious environmental and child  rights record –  to have a ‘tower’  filled with branded bottles of water as part of its display.

Patti Rundall, OBE, Co-Chair of IBFAN says:

“This can surely only do harm to the international reputation of Switzerland, a country globally renowned for the quality of its public water services.  It is also inconsistent with principles held by all who are concerned about the environment and global warming.  Branded bottled water is an expensive and wasteful way to provide water to those who need it because of the energy required to manufacture PET bottles and the transport the heavy, filled bottles. Nestlé’s bottled water also uses idealising claims and brand names such as Pure Life to increase sales. Such promotion undermines government resolve to  provide water as a public service under democratic supervision.”

In addition to the ‘water tower’  IBFAN notesthat Nestlé is promoting the privatisation of water through the Water Resources Group (WRG) in partnership with Coca Cola,  Pepsi and the World Bank. This in in direct opposition to the wishes of the 1.6 million signatories to the call from the European Citizen’s Initiative that water be regarded as a public good.

IBFAN calls for an assurance that Nestlé and its Water Tower will be refused a place at EXPO 2015 and that  Présence Suisse will instead highlight the reality of public water management in Switzerland and so set an example for the whole world.

CLICK HERE for the full letter

 

 

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