New statement by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

In its latest session, the Human Rights Council appointed Mr. Dainius Puras from Lithuania as the third Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. http://www.kractivist.org/new-special-rapporteur-to-health-appointed-by-the-human-rights-council/ — “The activities…

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…

Have you signed this? If not, act now to safeguard the UN from Conflicts of Interest: July 10-11

Please ask health, human rights or development organisations to endorse the statement calling for effective safeguards against conflicts of interest. Large for-profit corporations and their front groups will be attending the Comprehensive Review and Assessment of the Progress achieved in the Prevention and Control…

NGO concerns about Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)

19 November, 2014 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma, Italy FAO Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma, Italy CLICK HERE FOR NEW LETTER MTG 11 Julyfinal3 CLICK HERE for background Papers CLICK here for a letter sent from…

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…

Methodist Church Conference to discuss Nestlé investment and need for transparency

UPDATE: The response to the Memorial described below was not discussed, but was adopted with the undertaking: The Conference accepts the suggestion of the Lancashire District Synod that a further report be brought by JACEI to the 2015 Conference that includes…

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…

STOP Press New Human Rights treaty to be drafted

UN HRC vote-1 UN HRC vote and HERE Treaty Alliance Fantastic news This morning the Human Rights Council adopted the Ecuador resolution on the Elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human…

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…

Nestle targeting health workers in the UK

Baby Milk Action organised a protest on Tuesday (24 June 2014) outside an event where Nestlé was promoting its SMA formula brand to health workers. Nestlé’s event was ostensibly about ‘food hypersensitivity management in infants and pre-school children’, but is part of…

EU Health Council highlights breastfeeding and misleading marketing

20th June 2014 The EU Health Council adopted some important Conclusions on Nutrition and Physical Activity on Friday. Because of its importance to the economy, the EU seems to have chosen to ‘persuade’ rather than ‘regulate’ the food industry.’ In our view this overlooks…

US infant formula hospital stance ‘confuses’ domestic law and WHO Code

US infant formula hospital stance ‘confuses’ domestic law and WHO Code: UNICEF, PAHO By Mark Astley+ , 16-Jun-2014 The International Formula Council (IFC) “confuses” US law and the WHO Code when defending the practice of supplying free infant formula samples for hospital discharge bags, the…

UN General Assembly General Assembly: hearing on NCDs

General Assembly: Informal interactive hearing with NGOs, civil society organizations, the private sector and academia on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Round Table 2: “Mobilizing whole of society efforts for NCD prevention and control at…

Say NO to Nestle sponsorship of health workers

It’s not a free lunch – it’s a Nestlé marketing strategy Nestlé is actively targeting health workers in the UK having completed its takeover of Pfizer Nutrition/Wyeth and the SMA brand of formula in December 2012. On 24 May 2013…

The Nestlé boycott: it all begins with a Nescafe

The Nestlé boycott puts pressure on the world’s largest baby food company to market its products in line with international minimum standards. The boycott focuses on Nestlé’s main brand: Nescafé coffee. Nestlé has today announced a global promotion for Nescafé, giving boycott…

Whistleblowing: Food Safety and Fraud

Whistleblowing FSM This is an excellent article, that should be read by all policy makers reprinted from Food Safety Magazine, June/July2014 by Yasmine Motarjemi. It makes an important case for supporting, rather than harassing whistleblowers. Yasmine Motarjemi, Ph.D., holds an M.Sc. degree in food…

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.…

International action is needed to stand up to corporations

I have just joined the call for a binding international treaty to address corporate human rights abuses! You can do so to here. The United Nations Human Rights Council is meeting at the moment (10 – 27 June) and an international civil…

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…

Decisions taken by the World Health Assembly 2014

CLICK HERE http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA67/A67_R2-en.pdf Improved decision-making by the governing bodies The Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly, Having considered the report on improved decision-making by the governing bodies, 1 1. DECIDES to introduce webcasting of future public meetings of committees A and B…

IBFAN BFLG comments on EFSA Opinion on the essential composition of infant and follow-on formulae

24 April 2014 CLICK HERE for background papers Here are the IBFANBFLG comments on EFSA IBFAN and the Baby feeding law Group have submitted comments to EFSA’s public consultation on its draft Scientific Opinion on the essential composition of infant and…

67th World Health Assembly: WHO Framework of engagement with non-State actors

Stop Press 24th May 2014: It’s been a very busy week – one very good result: Following our joint lobby with the People’s Health Movement, Third World Network and others a decision was adopted on Saturday 24th to have further…

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…

BTR 2014 report launch: prepare to be outraged – then take action

A video with edited highlights of the press conference launching the global monitoring report Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules (BTR) 2014 will be available in due course. This will include the presentation by Annelies Allain, Director of the IBFAN…

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 …

EU Corporate Social Responsibility policy: The Commission seeks stakeholders’ views on achievements and future challenges

Period of consultation 29.04.2014 to 15.08.2014 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-491_en.htm?locale=en Press release Brussels, 29 April 2014 EU Corporate Social Responsibility policy: The Commission seeks stakeholders’ views on achievements and future challenges The Commission is seeking stakeholders’ views about the impact of its Corporate…

Nutricia India tinkers with its audit

Two important media articles in Nutraingredients about Danone’s ‘risk of non-compliance’ with the Indian IMS Act: http://www.dairyreporter.com/Manufacturers/Danone-Group-trying-to-whitewash-Nutricia-India-marketing-practices-BMA http://www.dairyreporter.com/Manufacturers/Nutricia-India-at-risk-of-non-compliance-with-IMS-Act-Danone?nocount

How Nestle’s Chairman misled shareholders about its infant nutrition business at the 2014 AGM

I attended the Nestlé shareholder meeting on 10 April 2014 with a colleague from the Geneva Infant Feeding Association (GIFA), a partner in the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). We both raised concerns about Nestlé’s marketing of breastmilk substitutes…

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…

Can nutrition experts be independent if they get $25,000 per annum from Nestle?

CLICK HERE CLICK HERE for Update 46 story Times of India Rema Nagarajan, TNN | Apr 19, 2014, 10.00AM IST NEW DELHI: The question of conflict of interest among academics who serve on various boards or councils of private corporations…

Spotlight on ASDA promoting Danone Cow & Gate formula – send us your photos and reports

Danone promotion of its Cow & Gate brand of baby milk in ASDA has been brought to Baby Milk Action’s attention. We are communicating with ASDA about the promotion and the misleading claims being used in it. Curiously, ASDA told…

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Android KitKat draws attention to Nestlé malpractice

The tie-up between Google and Nestlé through the new Android KitKat smartphone operating system is prompting a reaction in the media and amongst campaigners. This reminder of Nestlé malpractice comes in the lead up to International Nestlé-Free Week, taking place…

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 promotion in the UK in violation of national and international regulations

Baby Milk Action has been contacted repeatedly about two events being sponsored by Danone in the UK in coming days: Tommy’s baby race on 30 June, promoting the Cow & Gate formula brand, and a Royal College of Midwives training…

Breastfeeding rates falling in England

The Guardian is reporting that breastfeeding rates are falling in the UK. See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/22/breastfeeding-figures-fall-nhs-cuts I have posted the following comment (which can be used by the media as a quote): Part of the problem is also the massive sums baby…

European Parliament votes to ban idealised images and text on baby formulas

Oxford English Dictionary definition of idealize: “regard or represent as perfect or better than in reality.” At lunchtime today – 11th June – the European Parliament voted through new regulations that will apply to the marketing of baby foods and…

European Parliament to vote on new regulations on baby food marketing

European Parliament to vote New regulations on baby food marketing The European Parliament will vote today on regulations that will cover legislation on baby foods and formulas in all EU Member States. CLICK HERE for a Background Briefing CLICK HERE…

New Study linking bottle feeding to obesity

CLICK Here for IBFAN’s Infant feeding in Obesity poster Pediatr Obes. 2013 Apr 2. doi: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2013.00155.x. [Epub ahead of print] Socioeconomic status, infant feeding practices and early childhood obesity† Gibbs BG, Forste R. Source Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo,…

Danone v. Nestle and conflicts of interest in the UK and Ireland

Following Nestlé’s entry into the UK and Irish formula markets in December 2012, when it finalised its takeover of Pfizer Nutrition/Wyeth and the SMA brand, we are starting to see more aggressive baby milk marketing practices, both from Nestlé and…

Nestle Chairman wants to sell the world’s water

Please sign this petition addressed to the European Union, calling it to accept that access to water is a human right. See: http://www.right2water.eu/ Nestlé Chairman, Peter Brabeck-Letmathé, has rejected this view in an interview. Under his principles, water is a…

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…

UNICEF Lao report shows companies violating the marketing requirements

A new monitoring report commissioned by UNICEF Lao has just become available and looks at marketing from November 2011 to January 2012. The monitoring found sales representatives, principally from Nestlé and Danone, targeting health workers, shop keepers and parents. The…

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…