Vevey, Switzerland – December 2, 2025 – Swiss food giant Nestlé is facing intense global backlash after a major investigation revealed that its popular Cerelac baby cereals sold across Africa contain added sugar, while the exact same products marketed in Europe contain none. The explosive findings, released by Swiss watchdog Public Eye on November 18, 2025, have triggered accusations of corporate double standards, racial inequity, and deliberate harm to the health of African infants.
The report, titled “Africa’s Baby Food Sugar Scandal,” analyzed 94 Cerelac products collected from 20 African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, and Morocco. Independent laboratory tests showed that more than 90% of the samples contained added sugars such as sucrose and glucose-fructose syrup, with an average of nearly 6 grams per 30-gram serving, equivalent to one-and-a-half teaspoons. In Kenya, one variant intended for babies as young as six months contained 7.5 grams of sugar, almost two full sugar cubes.
By stark contrast, Cerelac sold in Switzerland, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom for infants from six months contains zero added sugar. The only sugar-free options available in most African countries were either expensive imported European packs or two recently introduced variants in South Africa. Public Eye described this disparity as a clear case of Nestlé exploiting weaker regulations in lower-income markets while protecting its reputation and adhering to stricter health standards in wealthier nations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned that added sugars should never be given to children under two years old and strongly advises against them until age three. Early exposure to sweetness is known to shape lifelong taste preferences, increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental decay, and metabolic disorders. Nestlé’s sugary African formulations directly violate these guidelines.
The timing could not be worse for the continent. Africa is grappling with a rapidly rising childhood obesity crisis even as millions still suffer from undernutrition and stunting. The number of overweight children under five has nearly doubled since 1990, reaching over 10.6 million in 2025. In countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria, obesity rates among children and adolescents now exceed underweight rates for the first time in history. Public health experts warn that feeding infants highly sweetened cereals from as early as six months is actively contributing to this dangerous shift.
On November 17, 2025, nineteen African civil society organizations from thirteen countries sent an open letter to Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil demanding an immediate recall of all sugar-containing Cerelac products and the urgent rollout of sugar-free versions across the continent. The letter stated bluntly: “If added sugar is not suitable for Swiss and European children, it is not suitable for children in Africa and beyond. All babies have an equal right to healthy nutrition, regardless of their nationality or skin color.” The coalition accused Nestlé of “deliberately putting the health of African babies at risk for profit” and called the practice a form of modern corporate colonialism.
Nestlé has strongly rejected the accusations. In official statements, the company insisted it does not operate double standards and that its nutritional approach is consistent worldwide. A spokesperson claimed the report was misleading, arguing that some sugars listed were naturally occurring from milk or grains, not added sweeteners. The company emphasized that undernutrition remains Africa’s most pressing child health issue and that fortified cereals like Cerelac play a vital role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies. Nestlé also pointed to its ongoing reformulation efforts, stating that no-added-sugar variants are now available in 97% of markets and that it aims to make all Cerelac lines sugar-free globally by the end of 2025.
Critics, however, remain unconvinced. They note that sugar-free Cerelac has been standard in Europe for years, yet African parents have been sold sweetened versions despite the known health risks. Many also question why the company waited until public exposure to accelerate change, especially after a similar Public Eye investigation in April 2024 exposed added sugars in Cerelac sold in Asia and Latin America.
Across Africa, anger is spreading fast. Parents, health professionals, and activists have taken to social media with hashtags such as #BoycottNestle and #SugarFreeForAfrica. In Nigeria, consumer advocacy groups are pressuring the national food regulator to ban sugary infant cereals. In South Africa, the Heart & Stroke Foundation has formally requested a government investigation. In Kenya, where Cerelac holds dominant market share, pediatricians and mothers’ groups are calling for clearer labeling and independent monitoring.
This is not Nestlé’s first major controversy in Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s, aggressive marketing of infant formula in low-income countries led to widespread misuse, contaminated water mixing, and thousands thousands of infant deaths, an episode that gave rise to the 1981 WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Many see the current sugar scandal as a disturbing echo of that history: a powerful multinational prioritizing sales over the long-term wellbeing of the continent’s most vulnerable children.
As 2025 draws to a close, pressure is mounting on Nestlé to act immediately rather than hide behind future promises. For millions of African parents who have trusted Cerelac as a safe, nutritious first food for their babies, the betrayal runs deep. Whether the company will fully eliminate added sugar from African shelves before the end of the year, or whether regulators will finally step in to enforce global health standards, remains to be seen. One thing, however, is clear: the world is watching, and Africa’s children can no longer be treated as second-class consumers.
