Nestlé’s “double standard” faces backlash in Morocco over sugary baby food

The Moroccan Consumer Protection Association has accused Nestlé of “Double Standard” practices by selling Cerelac infant cereal with significant added sugar in the Moroccan market, while the same products are sold in several European countries without any added quantities of sugar.

In a formal statement, the association urged the Swiss food company to immediately remove added sugar from all baby food products manufactured and distributed in Morocco, warning that high sugar levels in children’s food constitute serious health risks to infants and young children.

This comes after a recent study published by the Swiss NGO Public Eye, which collected over 100 Cerelac products from 20 African countries and analyzed them by Inovalys, a pioneer agri‑food laboratory. The findings revealed that more than 90% of the samples contained added sugar in significant quantities.

Alarming sugar levels

According to the findings, the average serving of Cerelac distributed in Moroccan markets contains 5.8 grams of added sugar. By contrast, the same Cerelac products sold in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland contain no added sugar whatsoever.

The Moroccan association says that Nestlé does not properly indicate the quantity of added sugar in its products inside Morocco, thus leaving parents unaware of the true components as well as health risks arising from their children’s food.

This contradicts the company’s promotion of its products as “rich in energy, proteins, vitamins, and minerals” and “specially designed to meet children’s nutritional needs.”

WHO guidelines

The association noted that the World Health Organization strongly advises against adding sugar to baby foods. Children’s exposure to sugar at an early age creates a lasting preference for sweet tastes, resulting in potential childhood obesity, diabetes, and other serious diseases later in life.

According to WHO data, the number of children under ten suffering from diabetes in Africa has nearly doubled since 1990.

Nestlé’s Cerelac holds a large market proportion in Morocco, controlling over 80% of the infant food market. According to data by Euromonitor, Cerelac’s annual sales in the African continent have exceeded $250 million, with Nestlé holding more than a 50% market share.

Call for action

The association has urged the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) to take action and force Nestlé to align its products distributed in Morocco with international health standards. It also denounced Nestlé’s lack of transparency for not indicating the quantity of added sugar on packaging sold in Moroccan markets.

“All babies have an equal right to healthy nutrition, regardless of their nationality or race,” an open letter signed by 20 civil society organizations from 13 African countries, including Morocco, stated.

The association concluded with the necessity of urgent action, warning that many parents believe these products are healthy despite containing hidden sugars that could endanger children’s health.