New publication – the Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2o15 This includes three articles contributed by IBFAN. The Business of Malnutrition: The perfect public relations cover for big food by Patti Rundall, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action, UK Business of Malnutrition,…
NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest
NGOs_Chan_67 NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest 22.10.2015 For the past 4 years and as part of the WHO reform, WHO and its governing bodies are discussing new set of policies, currently called Framework of Engagement With Non…
WBTi press release: First summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK
PRESS RELEASE 25 September 2015 For immediate release – click here to download as a pdf file First summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK The first summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) UK will…
Nestle-sponsored paediatric society distances itself from corporation as it launches shocking first 1000 days campaign
Press release 22 September 2015 Update 25 February 2016: Research shows the messages people take from the Brazilian “your child is what you eat” campaign An advertising campaign criticised by health experts around the world for undermining breastfeeding was launched in…
IBFAN Breastfeeding Calendar 2016
See all 12 pictures and order in the Calendar section of our Virtual Shop. Please give your views on the pictures and calendar here. If you have images you would like to be considered for a future calendar, please contact us.
Tigers in Edinburgh – remembering the Perrier Award boycott and Tap Water Awards
Tigers preview screening at the Take One Action film festival: 19 September 2015 A special screening of Tigers, the new film by Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovic, will reunite campaigners against Nestlé’s baby milk marketing malpractice in Edinburgh on Saturday 19 September…
Protest over Nestle baby milk promotion at Leicester festival
Baby Milk Action press release 8 September 2015 Nestlé’s aggressive baby milk marketing practices are ever more obvious in the UK following its takeover of the SMA formula brand in 2012. The latest example is Nestlé targeting the public with a stall at the…
Nestle sued over claims of false advertisement of the ingredients in its Gerber baby food
This article is relevant to the ongoing discussions at WHO about inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children and shows how foods are ‘idealised’ – not only by baby pictures but by vegetables. Below this article are…
India government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles
12th August Indian government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles CLICK HERE for BBC report CLICK Here or HERE or HERE The Indian Government announced today that it is suing Nestle for $100m (£64m) over “unfair trade practices.” following on from its…
Open letter to JACEI Chair regarding Methodist Central Finance Board investment in Nestlé
The Methodist Conference received a report from the Church’s Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics in Investment (JACEI) on 29 June 2015. This shows that a strategy of investing in Nestlé to exert pressure on its baby milk marketing policies…
Methodist Church ethics committee report shows Nestle systematically violates baby milk marketing rules and its investment and engagement strategy has made things worse
Baby Milk Action press release 18 June 2015 A report to be debated by the Methodist Conference in Southport on 29 June 2015 relates that Nestlé continues to systematically violate baby milk marketing rules, citing expert sources Save the Children and…
IBFAN at the 68th WHA May 2015 – draft FENSA is published
CLICK HERE for the Framework for Engagement of Non State Actors (FENSA) as it was left at the end of the Assembly. The proceedings of the Plenary and Committee Room discussions at the World Health Assembly were web streamed for the…
Defend the World Health Organization from corporate takeover
The Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) incorporating amendments by a drafting group adopted on the final day of the WHA : CLICK HERE For comment see my Policy blog Press release below. CLICK Here forIBFAN’s Press release 18th May…
WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence
IBFAN Press Release19.5.15 for PDF WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence 68th World Health Assembly, UN Palais, Geneva 18th May 2015 The long-running debate about how WHO interacts with corporations is coming to crisis point. In the context of its…
London Marathon water sponsor embroiled in controversy over “unlicensed” water bottling
The London Marathon takes place on Sunday 26 April 2015 and the water is being provided once again by Nestlé. Recently it has used the event to promote its Pure Life brand of water. This year, as in earlier years, it…
Nestle Chairman and board exposed by IBFAN at shareholder meeting
Baby Milk Action press release 16 April 2015 Members of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) stood up in front of 2,446 shareholders at Nestlé’s annual meeting on 16 April to call on Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathé to change…
New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis
PDF: IBFANBFLG EU PR 24.2.15v3 CLICK HERE for BFLG briefing PRESS RELEASE 24 February 2015 New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis Health advocates from across Europe have decried new rules…
Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2014 – Stephanie Heard
Baby Feeding Law Group press release 19 January 2015< The judges are pleased to announce that the 2014 Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support goes to Stephanie Heard, a Health Visitor in Redruth, Cornwall. The Award will be presented to…
Nestle CEO receives damehood for ‘services to industry’ – as the company puts its own interests before health
Baby Milk Action press release 12 January 2015 Fiona Kendrick, Chair and CEO of Nestlé (UK and Ireland), has been awarded a damehood in the New Year Honours for ‘services to obesity’, in the words of Private Eye magazine, which…
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests 18 December 2014 The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) welcomes the decision of the Swiss government to modify its plans to promote Nestlé’s brand image at the Swiss…
Nestle forced to remove misleading SMA claims following Baby Milk Action complaint
Baby Milk Action press release 15 December 2014 Change.org petition campaign calling for customers to be informed they were misled Nestlé has finally removed some misleading claims from its website for SMA Toddler Milk following complaints by Baby Milk Action…
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary UsesBali, Indonesia 24-28th November 2014 CLICK HERE for PDF version Infant and young child feeding was once…
Nestlé to promote its bottled water in EXPO 2015
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…
Tigers to roar in Indian theatres on March 6, 2015
Official Tigers press release – November 1st, 2014; MUMBAI: Danis Tanovic’s much-awaited festival-acclaimed film, Tigers starring Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi in his first international project, will release in theatres on March 6, 2015. Produced by Prashita Chaudhary of Cinemorphic, co-produced…
Civil society disappointed at Nutrition negotiations in Rome (2014)
STATEMENT BY CSO DELEGATION TO THE OPEN ENDED WORKING GROUP OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUTRITION 2 DISAPPOINTING OUTCOMES OF NEGOTIATIONS ON NUTRITION Governments met in the FAO Headquarters in Rome from 10-12 October 2014 to finalize the Rome Political…
ASA ruling: ASDA and Nestle misled parents with toddler milk promotion
Baby Milk Action press release 15 October 2014 Click here to sign the petition calling on ASDA and Nestlé to inform the customers they misled See ASA ruling A14-263404on the ASA website. Update 15 December 2014: Nestle’s forced to remove misleading SMA claims following…
Video report on European Premiere of Tigers – the true story of the former Nestle salesman who took on the company with the help of IBFAN
Video produced by the San Sebastian Film Festival (5 minutes – some commentary in Spanish). For details, screening time and to sign up for news alerts see Baby Milk Action’s special Tigers page. Breaking news 28 September: Tigers wins Solidarity…
Mississauga-Erindale MP Bob Dechert’s attends international premiere of the film “Tigers”
From right to left director Danis Tanovic, MP Bob Dechert, movie subject Syed Aamir Raza, actor Emraan Hashmi and Mr. Raza’s family September 8, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mississauga-Erindale MP Bob Dechert’s attends international premiere of the film “Tigers” …
World premiere of Danis Tanovic’s Tigers gains standing ovation for Nestlé whistle blower
Canadian Government commends bravery of Syed Aamir Raza Baby Milk Action staff represented in the film also present at premiere Baby Milk Action press release 9 September 2014 Media coverage: Examiner.com – Toronto Star – Express Tribune Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 8…
Nestle exploits World Breastfeeding Week as part of formula growth strategy
Baby Milk Action press release 6 August 2014 World Breastfeeding Week, promoted by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), takes place 1 – 7 August 2014, but this year it is being hijacked by Nestlé in a number of countries. This…
Letter from Director of UN corporate accountability initiative reveals its lack of integrity, says Baby Milk Action
Baby Milk Action press release 15 July 2014 Baby Milk Action, a campaign group that monitors the baby food industry against United Nations marketing standards, says it has received a letter (dated 9 July 2014) from the Executive Director of…
Tour de France provides opportunity to promote Nestle boycott
Baby Milk Action press release 7 July 2014 The Tour de France is visiting Cambridge today and is sponsored by Nestlé Perrier Vittel bottled water, presenting an ideal opportunity for campaign group Baby Milk Action to promote the boycott of…
UN Global Compact Office says it has no role to play in protecting integrity of initiative as Nestle continues to violate its principles
Baby Milk Action press release 2 July 2014 Baby Milk Action has today sent an open letter to the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, George Kell, over the failure of the Global Compact Office to hold Nestlé to account for…
Historic Resolution passed calling for a HR Treaty to hold corporations to account
Baby Milk Action and IBFAN are supporting the campaign for a new Treaty to hold corporations accountable for their Human Rights abuses. Baby Milk Action’s Policy Director, Patti Rundall, was in Geneva with IBFAN’s Geneva-based group, GIFA, FIAN other NGOs…
EU opposes action on human rights abuses by transnational corporations
UPDATE 26 June 2014: Victory at the UN Human Rights Council – the resolution to draft the treaty was passed, despite opposition from the US and EU. The UK has a vote at the Council and voted against. So please…
Human Rights Groups Call for Governments to Support Treaty That Protects People from Corporate Human Rights Abuses
Baby Milk Action press release 10 June 2014 Baby Milk Action is today joining colleagues around the world calling on governments to support international efforts to strengthen international law, thereby better protecting people from human rights abuses caused by corporate activities.…
Nestlé-sponsored conference cancelled following complaints
A major health conference in Scotland was cancelled last week following complaints about it being sponsored by Nestlé. Sunday Herald (1 June 2014) C&IT (2 June 2014) The Building A Healthier, Fairer Scotland conference was planned to take place at Dynamic…
Unhealthy diets greater threat to health than tobacco; UN expert calls for global regulation
For online version Click HERE GENEVA (19 May 2014) -The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, called today for a new global agreement to regulate unhealthy diets. “Unhealthy diets are now a greater threat to…
IBFAN report launch 16 May 2014 – Companies continue to violate the International Code
Press release 16 May 2014 Media coverage: Dairyreporter Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2014 will be launched on 16 May 2014 at the Club Suisse de la Presse in Geneva by Annelies Allain, Director of the International Code Documentation Centre (IBFAN…
Baby Milk Action’s new website is here
We hope you like our new website! Older documents, press releases and blog spots from our previous website are still being copied over. The new site was developed after Baby Milk Action’s members and supporters told us how they would like to…
Opening the door to Business lobbying – what’s wrong with the new WHO policy proposals
Opening the door to Business lobbying – what’s wrong with the new WHO policy proposals CLICK HERE for TWN article on the outcome CLICK HERE for PDF CLICK HERE for many related stories in Update 46 26th March 2014 …
Opening the door to Business lobbying – what’s wrong with the new WHO policy proposals
CLICK HERE for TWN article on the outcome CLICK HERE for PDF CLICK HERE for many related stories in Update 46 26th March 2014 WHO has published a draft proposal for a Framework and set of policies to address its…
WHO states that follow-up formula is not necessary and that marketing may mislead parents
(Information concerning the use and marketing of follow-up formula) A new statement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) released on 17th July, states that follow-up formula is not necessary, is unsuitable as a replacement for breastmilk after 6 months and…
Methodist Church committee presents selective report to Conference (4-11 July) to excuse million pound Nestlé investment
Press release 3 July 2013 The British Methodist Conference (4-11 July) will receive a report from the Church’s Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics in Investment (JACEI), which has been released to the media. This includes a paragraph on Nestlé, in…
Independent exposes Danone’s formula marketing practices in Turkey
The Independent in the UK has a front-page story on Danone’s marketing of Aptamil formula in Turkey, exposing how it misleads mothers and has misrepresented its relationship with UN bodies. See: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/exclusive-after-nestl-now-breast-milk-scandal-strikes-aptamil-manufacturer-danone-8679226.html Danone’s campaign encourages mothers to question whether they…
Danone steps up baby milk promotion in Ireland by branding Barnardos Ireland’s Big Toddle events with Cow & Gate formula logo as it rations formula in UK
Press release 25 April 2013 Media coverage: Irish Independent 2 May Danone has branded its sponsorship of Barnardos Ireland’s Big Toddle event running in 2013 with its Cow & Gate formula logo (left, image from the event Facebook page). At…
Nestle shareholder meeting 11 April 2013 – Chairman’s Creative Storytelling Venture – Baby Milk Action launches exposé of misleading claims
Baby Milk Action press release 11 April 2013 Nestlé’s 146th shareholder meeting was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 11 April 2013 and, in addition to complaining that “The political and regulatory environment for publicly listed companies is becoming more difficult…
Danone v. Nestle formula marketing war reaches the UK
Baby Milk Action press release 9 April 2013 Campaigners are pointing to new aggressive baby milk marketing practices in the UK as a sign of increased competition with Nestlé entering the UK market, where Danone is currently the largest company.…
Conflicts of Interest threaten Mexico’s hunger project – industry’s poison chalice
PRESS RELEASE Gran Hotel, Mexico City 9th April 2013 Marcelo Melchior, President of Nestlé Mexico, and Rosario Robles, Secretary of Social Development signing the partnership deal, Mi Dulce Negocio Nestle (My Sweet Business) as part of Mexico’s Crusade Against Hunger. CLICK HERE for PDF…
IBFAN welcomes Save the Children campaign on infant and young child feeding
Press release 17 February 2013 (click here to download as pdf) Click here for Save the Children’s press release, report and petition campaign Media coverage: Guardian (15 February), PDF 18 February: Daily Mail – Guardian – Daily Telegraph – Daily Mirror JPEG, Guardian (19…