Nestle in an internal report admitted that more than 70% of its food products are unhealthy. The company’s food and drinks portfolio do not meet the ‘recognized definition ofhealth’. Nestle, the world’s biggest company makes Maggie noodles, Kitkat and Nescafe.
Moreover, the company has said that some of its food products will never be healthy no matter how much they renovate. After these shocking revelations, the company is now in damage controlmode as its stocks has dipped 1 percent.
According to a presentation circulated among top executives at the beginning of 2021, “only 37 percent of Nestle’s products, excluding pet food and specialized medical nutrition,achieved a rating of 3.5 or higher under Australia’s health star rating system.”
Out of the company’s overall food and drinks portfolio, 70 percent of its products have failed to make a cut, including 90 percent of beverages excluding pure coffee.
“We have made significant improvements to our products... our portfolio still underperforms against external definitions of health in a landscape where regulatory pressure and consumerdemands are skyrocketing,” the presentation read.
Reacting to the report, a Nestle spokesperson said, “Our efforts build on a strong foundation of work over a decade to improve the nutritional footprint of our products. For example,we have reduced sugar and sodium in our products significantly in the past two decades, about 14-15 percent in the past 7 years alone.”
So far, there is no clarity on which of these ‘unhealthy’ products are made and sold in India. The Nestle India Spokesperson said, “Nestle India believes that nutritionis a fundamental need and the food industry has a vital role to play in enabling healthier lives. Driven by our purpose, we are constantly striving to increase the nutrient profile of our products, as well as innovative withnew and nutritious offerings.”