Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2010

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY “Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2010” is a report prepared by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). It describes IBFAN’s view of incidents of non‐compliance to the International Code of Marketing of Breast‐milk Substitutes (WHO Code) by major infant food manufacturers. These concerns have been collected over a period of three years This 2010 report describes a total of 130 concerns about Nestlé’s infant food marketing practices in different countries. Like with past reports, Nestlé has reviewed, investigated and responded to each one. The present report, intended for interested stakeholders, outlines our responses to these 130 reported concerns. This is prepared for reporting purposes and is not intended to give any enforceable rights to third parties. Of the 130 reports contained in the IBFAN report, 72 to lower‐risk countries, 57 related to higher‐risk countries, and one was unspecified. Incidents in lower‐risk countries were all found to be in accordance with national decisions regarding the implementation of the WHO Code. In higher‐risk countries, where Nestlé follows the WHO Code as minimum requirement, 4 areas of concern were identified. Although these were not WHO Code or Nestlé Policy contraventions, corrective actions were taken to ensure that our marketing practices reflect a high sense of responsibility. In addition, 3 reported concerns related to activities carried out by third parties (retailers and distributors) on their own initiative. While Nestlé makes major efforts to ensure that third parties are aware of their responsibilities regarding the WHO Code, non‐compliance on their part is not considered as a breach of the WHO Code by Nestlé as our control over third parties is limited.

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