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Nestlé adds sugar to infant milk sold in poorer countries, report finds
(www.theguardian.com)
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this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2024
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Maybe I missed it in the article, but isn't it more expensive for Nestlé to add the sugar than to not use it? I don't understand their motivation here. I mean, I assume it's evil considering what company this is, I just don't understand it.
Sugar is psychologically addictive
And super cheap.
I agree, but kids will be addicted to sugar pretty quickly regardless. Maybe that's the reason, but it seems like an awfully big expense when all they have to do is sell chocolate and the kids come running.
Yeah, but this is milk. For small babies that don't eat solid food. This is basically training them to crave sugar as early as possible.
It's in a follow-up milk for kids over 1 and in a cereal.
Kids don't get addicted to sugar much if there isn't much sugar intake occasion. I'm sure they checked the market and found that they could sell more sugar-based product later with this initial push.
In poorer countries, they might not buy non-essentials like sweets and chocolate as much as in the West. This ensures the sugar addiction starts early!
It's a return on investment. Sugar is addictive, and they get a competitive edge vs. less sweet formulas that are following the WHO recommendations.
Coke is cheaper than bottled water for similar reasons. Especially in developing countries.
I can't ever think about Coke marketing anymore without being reminded of the most evil thing I've ever seen committed to film.
https://screenmusings.org/movie/blu-ray/Slumdog-Millionaire/images/Slumdog-Millionaire-0272.jpg
Remind me how that guy/scene relates to coke? I haven't seen that movie since it came out
(Not arguing! I just need a refresher to get the reference)
He meets the kids and hands them each a Coke as a way of presenting himself as friendly and generous--and it looks like a marketing money shot; I wish I could find a gif of it. Those Cokes look like ambrosia from heaven.
And then a few scenes later he's putting out kids' eyes to make them more effective beggars.
Aha! I remember now. I figured he was the kid-mutilator but completely forgot the Coke part.
Thanks for the reminder!
I'm pretty sure sugar is cheaper than the rest of the formula by weight. They are essencial ly cutting formula with a cheaper more readily available product.
Yep. That is the answer.
Their motivation might be to get the kids hooked on the stuff early on. Sugar works like a drug in some ways by releasing dopamine in the brain and if you train your brain early on it will affect it longterm. Plus it will influence their future taste preferences. Everything else, besides Nestle's oversugared snacks will taste bland in comparison. Leading to kids crying at supermarket checkouts to get their favourite snacks :D
Some brain and a bunch of gut biome I suspect.
Once the sugar eating biome get established they rule the roost.
Also social factors come to play, like influencing purchasing behavior, cooking, food at restaurants etc
Babies like sugary thing, adding it in formula make sure babies refuse healthier alternative other than product made by Nestle for at least 3 years.
I assume they then dilute it back down so it's the same calories per 100 ml. Sugar is cheap.
1kg formula/sugar-mix is cheaper than 1kg pure formula
It adds calories in an inexpensive way.