Background

Infant formula sales in western countries have declined in recent years. This has sent formula manufacturers looking for new markets. They’ve found them in the third world.

Through various and subtle pressures, mothers in developing countries have been encouraged to believe that it is better for their babies to be fed with artificial formula than with their mother’s milk. Promotion techniques have included massive advertising campaigns and the distribution of free samples of formula. The advertising builds on the idea of modernity, sanitation and good nutrition while the free formula enables the mothers to try the product. Perhaps the most insidious promotion method has been the use of “mild nurses.” These women, hired by the corporation are dressed in uniforms and meet with mothers to describe the benefits of formula feeding. Their uniforms conveys the image of “health expert or nurse” to the mothers who are inclined to respect that image and believe that “voice of authority.”

The implication of these promotional practices are far-reaching and the results tragic. Women’s ability and self=confidence to freely choose how they will use their own bodies—to promote health instead of inhibiting health—is seriously undermined. So too are the economics of Third World countries, where expensive artificial foods are imported to replace free and nutritionally superior mothers’ milk.

But the problem is much more serious than just promoting an expensive and unnecessary product. To use infant formula safely requires pure water, a way to sterilize bottles and nipples, and enough money t buy the necessary amount of formula. A refrigerator is also needed unless the formula is to be prepared every few hours.

Third world mothers seldom have any of these things. Although many of them spend up to 80% of their total income to buy formula, they must still over dilute it, which leads to malnutrition.

They must also mix the formula with contaminated water, because that’s the only water available. They cannot afford fuel to boil water, so the bottle and nipple become contaminated too. Then the prepared bottle usually bakes in the sun. The result is diarrhea, which also leads to malnutrition.

Malnutrition causes irreversible brain damage in infants. If prolonged, it brings death. The problem is so widespread that doctors speak of an epidemic of “baby bottle disease.”

By the time baby bottle disease is diagnosed (if it ever is), it is usually too late to return to breast feeding because the mother’s milk has stopped.

Chronic malnutrition directly due to the unsafe use of infant formula by mothers who could have breast fed has killed thousands of third world babies and caused severe mental retardation in countless others.

Therefore a number of concerned organizations world wide have protested the current infant food formula sales practices. A number of companies in the U.S. (Bristol-Myers, American Home Products, …) have been subject to stock holders actions by concerned groups. The larges producer of infant food formulas, Nestles’, have been the least responsive to these concerns and because of its transnational set up(its headquarters are in Switzerland) can not be influenced by stock holders actions within the U.S.A. Therefore, a boycott of Nestle’ products has been called for in an attempt to make Nestle’ hear our voices and reform their sales practices in developing countries.

These countries are being attacked at their most vulnerable point, the health and well-being of their people. These multinational corporations are draining away valuable resources and leaving people and their countries weaker in their efforts to halt the growing corporate manipulation of their lives. Global corporate activities—resulting in enlarging corporate coffers at the expense of human lives—must be stopped at once.

Areas of Study

1. The effects of Infant Food Formula promotion in the third world by transnational corporations: What are the actual needs for infant formula in these countries? Why is there a dramatic increase in the use of infant formula in the light of the high cost, unavailability of pure water, and scarcity of equipment for sterilization and refrigeration? Also to what extent is the increase in infant formula use directly liked to the rising number of infant hospitalizations and deaths due to malnutrition?

This area of study leads directly to a larger underlying problem

2. Examination of Corporate Responsibility, Advertising Practices, Manufactured Markets, and the underlying problem of the distribution of production and wealth. What determines the consumer patterns of developing countries? Do the consumer patterns reflect the needs of the people or the corporate interests? Why does approximately 30% of the world’s population control and enjoy the benefits of 89% of the world’s wealth? What is our responsibility and what are possible Christian responses?

Coordination of the project

Information for this study-action project will be gathered by the Virginia Tech/Radford, University of Michigan, and Rutgers University.

They will also be responsible for distribution of study packets to LSM campus groups and for evaluation of the project. A list of Nestle products subject to the boycott will be given to each participant before the end of the conference. This list, plus a preliminary resource packet will be included in the post conference packet.

Costs

A rough cost estimate for this project is $200.00 assuming 50 study packets are printed and mailed to requesting groups or persons.

Actions Called for under this project:

1. Personal participation in the boycott of Nestle’ products.

2. The promotion of consumer education in the area of manufactured markets.

3. Requests to school food services to support the boycott.

4. Other activities suggested by the study/

This study-action project will continue to be effect until such time as it is terminated by INFACT1. Evaluation will be conducted semi-annually and will include requests for summaries of study done by local groups for incorporation in a study summary document. Annual reports will be presented to the LSM-USA National Conference and Assembly. The study-action project objectives, themselves, provide the criteria for evaluation.

Resources

1. INFACT, Infant Formula Action Coalition, 1710 University Avenue, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414; is the coordinator of the United States boycott.

Persons responsible for writing this project:

Ken Nicholson

Gary Snead

Bob Ard

Linda Beyer

Susan Johnson

Debora Van Iderstine

Cynthia Chelius

Judy Koch