Nestlé Boycott Reaches My Conscious Breastfeeding Sweet Spot

My Guilty Pleasure

Those closest to me know that my guilty pleasure is Häagen-Dazs Chocolate and Peanut Butter ice cream.  I have found a local store near my home that has had the wisdom to keep it in stock for me.  I admit that I have eaten it in on a regular basis during every season since making that discovery.  Now that it is summer, I am chagrined to find out that Häagen-Dazs is now among the brands owned by Nestlé.

As a nurse, lactation consultant and passionate advocate for breastfeeding mothers and their babies, I have engaged in my own personal Nestlé boycott since the late 1970’s.   This has not always been easy.   Over the years the long arm of the Nestlé corporation has continued to extend its reach by expanding its business holdings to include bottled water, pet food and cosmetic companies among many others in their vast empire.   The brands owned by them are listed here.  

Nestlé is the largest food company in the world.  It continues to systematically violate the World Health Assembly’s marketing requirements for baby foods.  This second incarnation of the boycott has been active for almost 22 years duration and  has had some impact upon their practices.   However, they continue to come up with ways to break the Code.   A 6.16.10 press release, excerpted below, outlines their latest scam and includes a link to their email campaign page.

Protest Nestlé’s claim that breastmilk substitutes ‘protect’ babies, public urged for UK breastfeeding awareness week
(21 – 27 June 2010)

Mike Brady, Campaigns and Networking Coordinator at Baby Milk Action (who plays the role of Mr. Henry Nastie in the 3 minute youtube clip below which explains the strategy), said:

“Breastfeeding week promotes the message that breastmilk protects babies. It is a living substance containing antibodies and other protective factors. Nestlé competes with breastfeeding by claiming its baby milk ‘protects’ babies. The boycott campaign helped force companies to put ‘breast is best’ messages on labels, but Nestlé is trying to trump these with its more prominent colourful ‘protect’ logos and false claims of health benefits from using baby milk.” 

 

Please join me in the Nestlé Boycott.  Choose to buy a different mascara, cereal, water and ICE CREAM whenever possible.  Check the list and exercise your power as a consumer.  Nestlé puts profits before health and thus it is only when they notice an impact upon their bottom-line that they will take heed of the need to abide by the Code. 

It is especially important that we lend our voices and our support to these efforts.  Conscious breastfeeding and retail discretion are my call to action for you! 

Oh, and yes, if anyone has a killer recipe for home-made chocolate and peanut butter ice cream send it my way!