Nestlé Case Study

Nestlé Case Study Analysis:

The Infant Formula Controversy

Zineb BAILI

47761

MKT 5305

FALL 2014

Introduction

In 1970, a wave of outrage hit the international scene when Nestle had been found and accused of hooking third world countries mothers on baby formula, advertising it as indispensable whereas it was less healthy for them and of course much more expensive than using natural healthier breast feeding (Krasny 2012) . The result of such advertising caused third world babies to have malnutrition has they were not getting enough nutrients from the formula (being scarcely used by parents since it was costly), getting infections and other diseases since most of the parents were using unsanitary water, and even death in extreme cases (Krasny 2012).

In 1974, a shocking manifesto called “The Baby Killer” was published by the War on Want organization which was established in the fifties as an institution that wanted to attract attention on poverty in third world countries along with other socio-political issues (Muller 1974). It is considered today to be one of the most prominent organizations in Britain that provides major assistance to third world countries (Muller 1974). This report stressed on the fact that third world babies were either dying or suffering from malnutrition or other diseases because their mothers are not breast feeding them and choosing to rather feed their babies the “western way” (Muller 1974). It is urging health organizations to realize the gravity of the situation and understand how baby food industries were actually promoting a dangerous trend that lead to malnutrition and even baby death (Muller 1974). The report also raises questions on how to avoid this vicious cycle and investigates why more and more third world mothers are choosing not to breast feed anymore especially when it is a strong inherent part of their culture (Muller 1974). This manifesto, coupled with boycott of Nestlé and other baby food companies led the WHO...