From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Arun Gupta</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:arun@ibfanasia.org">arun@ibfanasia.org</a>> excerpts</span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span style="border-collapse:separate;font-family:'Lucida Sans Typewriter';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div dir="ltr">
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<div align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Nestléis facing a criminal trial in a court in New Delhi for violating Inndian lawI. <br><br></b></font></div></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<table style align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="98%"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top" width="47%"><p align="justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The promotional strategies of baby food companies are becoming smarter day by day. Companies use every opportunity to break the spirit of the legislation with their new age smart communication strategies that include “cause- related marketing” and “association” with celebrities.<br>
<br>Nestle spearheads the baby food market in India; it is known to violate the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes see<span> </span><a href="http://www.ibfan.org" target="_blank">www.ibfan.org<span> </span></a>,<span> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjrI2TTHWpk&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjrI2TTHWpk&feature=youtu.be</a>,).<span></span><br>
<br>For violation of Indian law, Nestle has been charged by a Court in Delhi and is facing a criminal trial.<span> </span></font><font><font face="Times New Roman"><span></span></font></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<td colspan="2" align="left"><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>Nestle is not leaving any stone unturned to greenwash its image in the society.<span> </span><br><br>The World Health Assembly adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in 1981 after it was recognized that marketing practices of baby food industry undermines breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding practices. Studies all over the world have shown that use of infant formula is harmful to infant health.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>Nestle has resorted to promotional techniques which are projected as 'mother and child friendly'. Recent example is an event in Delhi with cinema celebrities and MPs in attendance. The event on 19th August 2012 happened just 2 days before day of trial Court hearing at Delhi. Unknowingly, celebrities end up providing legitimacy to the company branding. <br>
<br>While the '1000- days' is a global campaign (<a href="http://www.thousanddays.org" target="_blank">http://www.thousanddays.org</a>/) and advocacy initiative by governments and the UN to focus on the critical window period of pregnancy and the first 2 years of life, Nestle has latched on to this to 'project' them to be 'good' as if they are very concerned for our mothers and children. If they were serious they better stop any promotion of their products directly or indirectly and follow the law in its letter and spirit.<span> </span>The campaign may appear to be a noble effort by Nestle; all child health experts don't believe so.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Surely, Nestle is concerned about its profit, which is the bottom-line of all corporate houses. Here, they jumped on to activities which government and public health people should be doing to promote good infant nutrition. In this case they crossed the line to project a child friendly image although their practices continue to undermine healthy infant feeding practices.<span> </span><br>
<br>.</font></p><p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><b><font color="#000099">Political and movie celebrities must SAY NO to any association with Nestle and keep the Code alive.</font></b></font></p>
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<tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top" width="14%"><br></td><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top" width="86%"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI)</font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
Email:<span> </span><a href="mailto:bpni@bpni.org" target="_blank">bpni@bpni.org</a>,<span> </span><a href="mailto:bpni.india@gmail.com" target="_blank">bpni.india@gmail.com</a><br>Website :<span> </span><a href="http://www.bpni.org" target="_blank">http://www.bpni.org</a></font></td>
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